As the talks continue at Stormont, the Protestant Long March, which set off from Derry last week, is now entering its last couple of days. Today, the marchers made their way from Glenavy to Lisburn.
The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was due to have another meeting with Portadown Orangemen today in a fresh attempt to solve the Drumcree crisis. However, it seem that the meeting was postponed due to the intensive negotiations with the North's parties.
Last night there appeared to have been no progress ahead of Sunday's parade down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. However, an Orange spokesman described yesterday's meeting between Tony Blair and a delegation of Portadown Orangemen as "constructive". A spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents warned earlier that, no matter what happens at the Stormont peace talks, they will not allow the Orange Order to march along the Garvaghy Road next Sunday. Breandan MacCionnaith said that, given all that has happened over the past year, there was no way the residents were going to change their mind on this position.
Yesterday, the Chief Constable of the RUC, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, warned that dissident Loyalists were planning to exploit heightening tensions over Drumcree. He said that he believed those who would seek to bring large numbers of people on to the streets had a responsibility to consider the consequences. The Parades Commission has already decided that the Drumcree march should not go ahead.
