Opposition Leader Kim Swan last night said he hoped US President George W. Bush would rise above a "personal insult" aimed at him by Premier Ewart Brown five years ago.

As the countries' leaders prepare to meet next week, Mr. Swan pointed to a joke made by the Premier at Mr. Bush's expense in February 2003.

A Bermuda Sun story about an anti-war demo, attended by a number of politicians, included this paragraph on a speech by Dr. Brown, who was then Transport Minister before he became Premier: "Dr. Brown joked about the President's intellect, saying he'd heard the President's library had been bombed ... destroying both books.

"He said the President was particularly disturbed because he hadn't finished colouring in one of them."

Yesterday, Mr. Swan said Dr. Brown had jeopardised relations with the States by putting his own interests ahead of Bermuda's.

"The Progressive Labour Party Government has generally done a poor job maintaining the best possible relations with the Government of the United States, Bermuda's largest and most vital trading partner," said Mr. Swan.

"One of the most regrettable aspects of their approach to diplomacy has been to blur the line between their own personal opinions and their views as official representatives of Bermuda."

Regarding Dr. Brown's colouring book joke, he said: "We hope that President Bush will rise above that personal insult and that Dr. Brown and some of his colleagues will take note that once they are elected to office they represent Bermuda, not themselves.

"United Bermuda Party leaders always made sure to conduct their relations with the United States with the utmost respect because of shared history and values, common decency and because our tiny island relies so much on the good will of our giant neighbour." The Premier replied from the States last night: "On this side of the Atlantic politicians get accustomed to jokes and cartoons about themselves.

"I remember I was sitting about five seats from President Bush at a dinner earlier this year in Washington when he cracked a joke about the Clintons. So I believe he understands."

Meanwhile, US Consul General Gregory Slayton and Dr. Brown's Press Secretary Glenn Jones have both now clarified it is 12 years since a Bermuda Premier met a US president — not the 17 years they stipulated yesterday.

Sir John Swan met US president Bill Clinton in the White House in June 1993, and Sir David Saul met Mr. Clinton in the Oval Office in March 1996.

Both visits were arranged to discuss issues related to the closure of the US military bases in Bermuda, among other things.

Next week's meeting will be the centrepiece of the third bilateral visit to Washington taking place with US Consul General Gregory Slayton.

Because the President will be leaving office relatively soon, Dr. Brown called the meeting "a courtesy visit".

But he is not scheduled to meet either Presidential candidates Senator John McCain, or the Democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama although he will meet around ten politicians on each of the trip's three days.

Mr. Jones declined to comment on Mr. Swan's claim that the PLP has done a poor job maintaining relations with the US for the past decade.

However, he provided schedules from the first two years of the bilateral Washington visits, showing that figures who met with the Premier include Alan Charlton, UK Deputy Head of Mission; Representatives of Jet Blue, American Airlines and US Air; Susan Ralston, Special Assistant to the President of the United States; Ruben Barrales, White House staff; a number of Senators including Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama; and Secretary of State Condolezza Rice.