Downer coy on whether FBI interviewed him

Former foreign minister Alexander Downer has refused to discuss whether the FBI has interviewed him about his tip-off concerning claims of Russian meddling in the US presidential election.

The New York Times earlier this year reported Mr Downer, the outgoing Australian High Commissioner to the UK, could have helped spark an FBI investigation into Russian activities.

Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos told the Australian diplomat during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of emails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Australia passed the information on to the Federal Bureau of Investigation after the Democratic party emails were leaked.

Mr Downer on Monday night was coy on whether the FBI has interviewed him.

"It is exactly the sort of question that I definitely wouldn't answer," Mr Downer told ABC TV.

He said questions over whether Russians had any relationship with the Trump campaign team were a toxic issue in American politics.

"I don't think any of us really want to be dragged in to that," he said.