problems with Congressmen he plans to meet.

The Hon. Sir John Swan had planned to fly to Washington on Tuesday for meetings with the British Ambassador and key Congressmen who have pledged to help the Island on the US Base issue.

But Sir John said yesterday that too many of the Congressmen will be in Europe this week to Tuesday when the Premier planned to start his two-day trip.

Although the Premier could have flown to Washington to begin his meetings on Wednesday, it is understood he wants to be on the Island for his party's weekly caucus meeting on Thursday.

He is in the midst of putting together a new Cabinet and Senate team and will use his time over the next days to get his party's house in order.

Sir John plans to start his diplomatic push the following week in meetings with Congressmen Ron Dellums, George Rose, Charles Rangel and Robert Torricelli.

His first order of business is to make sure a clause in 1994 Defence Appropriations Bill that would withdraw funding from the US Bases in Bermuda 90 days after it passes is killed.

It comes up for passage, along with all other 1994 defence spending requests, in a joint Senate/House of Representatives conference later this month.

Bermuda's lobbying effort will require defeating the clause by winning support from Conference members.

Already, Congressman Dellums, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, has pledged to have the clause removed. Part of the Premier's mission will be to make sure that pledge is carried to key members of Mr. Dellums committee through the efforts of allies Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Rose and Mr. Rangel.

The British mission in Washington is also involved in the Bermuda effort. The push to close the Base began with ABC newsman Sam Donaldson's report last December in which the US Naval Air Station in Bermuda was described as the Navy's `Club Med'.

Within days of the report, Congresswoman Pat Schroeder called for the Base's closure.

Her push later saw the clause inserted in Defence Bill FY94 to withdraw all funding for the Base within 90 days of passage.

British and Bermuda sources since then have learned that the House Armed Services Committee passed the funding withdrawal provision unaware of the consequences for Bermuda.

The Bermuda effort will focus on informing Congressmen that Bermuda is simply not prepared for such an abrupt closure given that the Navy now runs the Civil Air Terminal, air traffic control, emergency services and search and rescue.

The Premier's longer term objective is to get the Americans to agree to a five-year withdrawal -- which would give the Island time to train Bermudians for jobs now conducted by the Navy.