By Mark Baker Herald Correspondent in Singapore

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SINGAPORE has protested strongly to Australian authorities over ABC television reports claiming it has been spying on Australian defence facilities and operations for years.

Singapore's concern at the allegations has prompted a series of meetings between government officials and the Australian High Commission in Singapore and led to the High Commissioner, Mr Gary Quinlan, flying back to Canberra for consultations.

In a statement released late on August 30, the Singaporean Foreign Ministry said Australian officials had given assurances that they did not regard Singapore as a threat to Australia's security.

"On the contrary, the Australian government took the opportunity to reaffirm the closeness and strength of Singapore-Australia relations, including defence relations," the ministry spokesman said.

In a series of programs over the past month, ABC-TV's Lateline has reported claims by Australian intelligence analysts and former Defence Department officials that Singapore has been spying on Australia for decades and that one Singapore spy had been identified.

A spokesman for the Australian High Commission August 31 refused to comment but confirmed that Singaporean Foreign Ministry and Defence Department officials had met the High Commissioner and the Australian Defence Adviser to register their concerns.

The spokesman also confirmed that Mr Quinlan had flown to Canberra for briefings.

It is understood Australia refused requests by the Singaporean authorities to publicly repudiate the spying claims, based on Australia's long-standing policy of refusing to comment on security-related issues.

Singaporean officials are believed to regard the ABC reports as politically-motivated and part of a broader campaign to block increased Singaporean investment in Australia - particularly the takeover by the government-owned Singtel of Cable and Wireless Optus, which last week won Foreign Investment Review Board approval.

There were also concerns that the publicity could upset expanding defence co-operation, under which thousands of Singaporean troops train in Australia and the Singapore Air Force exercises at bases in Western Australia, Queensland and NSW.

In its statement, the Singaporean Foreign Ministry said it was surprised and disappointed that Lateline had repeated the "baseless" spying allegations last week in a program that also interviewed the exiled former Singapore Opposition leader, Francis Seow.

"There is no reason for Singapore and Australia to regard each other as threats. On the contrary, both our countries have much to gain by working together," the statement said.