Solomon Islands MPs will choose a new prime minister on Thursday, with two candidates in the race after last week's toppling of Manasseh Sogavare's government in a parliamentary no-confidence vote.
After a weekend of talks among opposition groups in the restive Pacific island nation, former Education Minister Derek Sikua will face off against Sogavare's deputy and Foreign Minister Patteson Oti.
The capital Honiara remained calm after Thursday's ousting of Sogavare following political defections. But police and international security forces were on alert to prevent a repeat of riots that swept the nation during a political upheaval last year.
Sogavare remains caretaker prime minister and on Friday urged Solomon Islanders to remain calm and not to repeat the violence that destroyed Chinese businesses in Honiara in April 2006. Sikua was among nine ministers and three backbenchers who defected from Sogavare's government last month, sparking a political crisis and an unsuccessful attempt by Sogavare to stall the no-confidence vote in the courts.
Opposition MPs on Sunday held talks on Savo Island offshore from Honiara to avoid lobbying by government MPs to switch sides and back Foreign Minister Oti.
Whoever wins, the new Prime Minister is expected to try and mend relations with Australia, which has led a team of international police and troops to maintain law and order in the restive island chain.
Sogavare infuriated Canberra by appointing Julian Moti, an Australian wanted over charges he raped a 13-year-old girl in Vanuatu in 1997, as his Attorney-General.
The opposition has pledged to restore relations and place Moti on a plane to Australia if it takes power. Sogavare was a also strong critic of the 15-nation intervention, called the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, accusing Australian police and government advisers of meddling in his country's affairs. He also tested relations with New Zealand and refused to attend a meeting of Pacific leaders.
Sogavare became prime minister in May 2006 in the aftermath of the Chinatown riots, which came after the election of Snyder Rini as prime minister. Rini was later forced to step down.
The Solomon Islands is a nation of about 500,000 mainly Melanesian people, spread across hundreds of islands, which gained independence from Britain in 1978.
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