MALE, Maldives - The new president of the Maldives called on Wednesday for the formation of a national unity government in the Indian Ocean nation even as police and soldiers kept watch over his predecessor at an undisclosed location.

President Mohammed Waheed Hassan, the former vice-president, was sworn in on Tuesday when Mohamed Nasheed, the ex-president, resigned after police joined widening street protests against his government.

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, Hassan denied claims he was behind a plot to oust Nasheed. He said he had not prepared to take over the country and he called for the creation of a unity coalition.

"Together, I am confident, we'll be able to build a stable and democratic country," he said, adding that his government intended to respect the rule of law.

Hassan, who had promised to protect Nasheed from retribution, said his predecessor was not under any restriction and was free to leave the country.

The Maldives' new President Mohammed Waheed Hassan (left) smiles after a news conference in Male, the Maldives, on Wednesday. Eranga Jayawardena / Associated Press