Talks aimed at finding a resolution to the Drumcree parade deadlock are continuing at Stormont tonight. With exactly one week to go before Drumcree Sunday, this Stormont talks initiative may well be the last chance to resolve the long-running dispute. Senior members of the Orange Order in Portadown and the leaders of the Garvaghy Road Residents, met separately with David Trimble at Stormont to try and reach a local accommodation to break the parades deadlock.
As the talks began, Mr. Trimble appealed to the Parades Commission not to announce its decision on this year's march while the Stormont negotiations were under way. The ruling was due to be given in the morning, but the Commission has indicated that, if it believes these talks have any chance of success, they will not issue a decision which could jeopardise the outcome.
The representatives from the Garvaghy Road Residents' Association, and Mr. Trimble arrived at Castle Buildings at around half past two. Before he went in, David Trimble said that a breakthrough, which allowed the march to go ahead, could help the peace process by removing the cause behind some of the recent violence by loyalist paramilitaries.
The rector of Drumcree Parish Church has received a letter from the Church of Ireland, asking for the invitation from the Portadown Orange Lodge to attend next Sunday's Service to be withdrawn. The Reverend John Pickering said that he would not be commenting on the matter until tomorrow, but has repeated his position that anyone, including members of the Portadown Orange Lodge, were free to attend.
In separate development, Portadown Orangemen have dismissed reports that they were due to hold talks today on the Drumcree crisis with Mr. Blair's chief of staff, Jonathan Powell. Portadown District Master, Harold Gracie, said that talks with local Orangemen today are unlikely. The Presbyterian Moderator, Dr John Lockington, has urged Orangemen to stay away from the Drumcree parade. In a letter read at all Presbyterian churches in the North, he urged them to attend services at their local churches and to remain within their own neighbourhoods.
A contentious Orange Order parade in West Belfast passed off last night without disturbance. A heavy security presence was present along part of the Springfield road as the march passed through the peaceline on its way from the Loyalist Shankill road. Out of sight of the marchers, several hundred nationalists opposed to the parade staged a peaceful protest rally.
