The issue would be raised during Chirac's flying visit to Singapore on Wednesday, spokesman Jerome Bonnafont told a news conference.

"But we don't expect the Singaporean government to make a decision before the start of next year," he added.

Chirac is to have a meeting and working dinner on Wednesday with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, son of Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, who was appointed on August 12.

The French government is the only customer to have purchased the Rafale, manufactured by France's Dassault Aviation, since its launch in 1988. The French military has several of the jets already and is expected to order another 59 by the end of the year.

France enjoys close economic and military ties with Singapore, which is the only foreign country to have pre-selected the Rafale for possible purchase.

Singapore conducted tests throughout the summer on the French fighter jet and two rival planes, the US F-15 and the Eurofighter, manufactured by a consortium of several European companies. It could order around 20 aircraft, in two batches, in late 2004 or early 2005.

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