Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will visit the Solomon Islands Saturday after Tuesday's parliamentary vote which elected a new prime minister sparked serious rioting and looting in the South Pacific nation's capital of Honiara.

The violence, which protesters said the vote was fixed, was the worst since the Australian, New Zealand and other Pacific nations' governments intervened by sending troops there in 2003 to help end years of bloody strife fightings.

Downer's announcement of the visit came as further 110 Australian troops arrived at Honiara Friday.

On Wednesday, Australia sent the first extra troops there to join 262 Australian police officers already there as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

During the visit, Downer will meet Solomon Islands Governor- General Nathaniel Waena and new Prime Minister Snyder Rini.

"I hope to discuss at length with him what strategies his government will adopt to address deep-seated tensions within Solomon Islands society," Downer said in a statement.

"I will be encouraging him to commit his government to move forward on crucial measures to improve good governance, address corruption and work towards economic prosperity for Solomon Islands," he said.

He said he also hopes to meet with members of the Opposition to reinforce Australia's commitment to the future of Solomon Islands.

"Our immediate priority is to assist the Solomon Islands authorities to restore law and order in the capital so that the reconstruction effort may begin," he said.

Source: Xinhua