Premier Ewart Brown met with the Pentagon to discuss the cleanup of former US baselands in Bermuda for the last time this week.

Dr. Brown is currently on his annual visit to Washington DC where he will discuss Bermuda-related issues with top US law makers.

On Tuesday the Premier went to the Pentagon and met with Roger Natsuhara, who is principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment.

Prior to his departure the Premier said he wanted a final answer on whether the US will pay for the cleanup, which is expected to cost approximately $65 million.

The baselands — in Southside, St. David's and Morgan's Point, Southampton — have long been a thorny subject for the Island's leaders on both sides of the political divide. The US has previously refused to pay directly for a cleanup.

A deal was negotiated in 2002 by the UK Government with the US to end the 99-year lease of the land 38 years ahead of schedule. Bermuda was to receive $11 million to fulfil the US's obligations to maintain Longbird Bridge, and the US promised to look at the possibility of providing a Coast Guard vessel for Bermuda and providing training facilities in the US for the Bermuda Regiment. Since then, Bermuda has not received a Coast Guard vessel and Bermudian soldiers are trained in Jamaica, not the US.

A request for a comment on the talks was not returned yesterday.

On Tuesday the Premier also met with the assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, John Brennan, and assistant treasury secretary for Terrorist Financing David Cohen. Yesterday, the Premier's press secretary did not respond to a request for information about the meeting.

He was asked if the two men discussed the fact that the New York Times has claimed Bermuda insurers continue to do business with Iranian companies which have been blacklisted in the US for transporting arms and nuclear material.

In a press release issued late Tuesday night the Premier said: "The purpose of this visit is to continue to make the case for Bermuda and to extend and deepen the relationship between our government and the United States of America.

"From continuing to inform stakeholders of the financial benefit that Bermuda's international business brings to US citizens, to seeking new ways to assist each other, these meetings have been very productive. We look forward to a positive response when we meet with key Members of Congress."

The Premier was accompanied by Deputy Premier Paula Cox, Cabinet Secretary Marc Telemaque and Finance Secretary Donald Scott. On Tuesday evening Premier Brown attended a reception hosted by the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers.