Sogavare no confidence vote deferred amid threat claims

A planned vote of no confidence against Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was deferred amid claims by the opposition that some of its supporters had been threatened.

Opposition Leader Fred Fono told reporters that some government legislators had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to join the opposition to topple Mr Sogavare, who has been in power since May.

"Some members of parliament who signed the MOU with the opposition have been threatened so we have decided to make some arrangements and regroup for next Friday," said Mr Fono, who proposed the vote be deferred.

He also said there has also been threats that if successful, a vote of no confidence could lead to riots similar to those which followed an election in April.

"There's been rumours, speculation and intimidation, indicating that if this government was to fall there would be another riot," Mr Fono said.

The meeting of parliament was held amid tight security with helicopters hovering overhead and additional troops and police at the parliament and around the capital Honiara.

Police Commissioner Shane Castles previously said the risk of violence associated with the no confidence vote was low.

Mr Fono has accused Mr Sogavare, who has been in power in the country of about 500,000 people since May, of being responsible for a deepening row with Australia.

Last month Mr Sogavare outraged Australia by expelling Australian ambassador Patrick Cole for allegedly meddling in local politics.

The row intensified over the last week when Australia attempted to extradite the Solomon Islands new Attorney-General, Julian Moti, on child sex charges.

Mr Moti, a 41-year-old lawyer with Australian citizenship, is a close friend of Mr Sogavare and has reportedly been in hiding in the Solomon Islands embassy in the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby to avoid extradition.

Mr Sogavare dismissed the Australian charges, which relate to an incident in Vanuatu in 1997, as politically motivated and accused Canberra of "bullying tactics".

- AFP