  We present a model of neutrino masses combining the seesaw mechanism and
strong Dirac mass hierarchy and at the same time exhibiting a significantly
reduced hierarchy at the level of active neutrino masses. The heavy Majorana
masses are assumed to be degenerate. The suppression of the hierarchy is due to
a symmetric and unitary operator R whose role is discussed. The model gives
realistic mixing and mass spectrum. The mixing of atmospheric neutrinos is
attributed to the charged lepton sector whereas the mixing of solar neutrinos
is due to the neutrino sector. Small U_e3 is a consequence of the model. The
masses of the active neutrinos are given by $\mu_3\approx\sqrt{\Delta m_{@}^2}$
and $\mu_1/\mu_2\approx \tan^2\theta_\odot$.
