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Talks to resolve a row between loyalist marchers and republican protesters over an Orange Order parade have stalled, the Northern Ireland Secretary has said.
Sir Chris Bryant said negotiations were between a “rock and a hard place” as a fifth day of stand-off ended without an agreement in place.
A legal appeal on the controversial Drumcree march is scheduled for Monday.
Sir Chris said it was a “shame” a resolution had not been reached after talks with representatives of the Orange Order and Garvaghy Road residents at Hillsborough Castle on Thursday, but he insisted “my door remains open”.
He revealed that “a wide range of options” had been discussed – including an option where the right to march was respected but not exercised, and an option where there was a final march and no further applications for marches in the future – but he said the parties would not be able to “agree on all of that”.
Sir Chris added: “I still believe that keeping the talks going and the dialogue is a really important part of getting to a resolution for everyone.”
Protesters block Garvaghy Road. Photo: PA
Tensions in the long-running dispute flared again on Sunday after a last-minute court hearing allowed members of the loyalist Orange Order to parade along its traditional route, which includes mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown, for the first time in almost 30 years.
Restrictions have prevented the Orange Order from making its traditional route through the mostly Catholic area since 1998 – after previous marches led to violent clashes and major police interventions.
The parade was due to start at 8am on Sunday, but attempts to march down Garvaghy Road were blocked by hundreds of protesters, some wearing balaclavas or other face coverings. The march still hasn’t left.
Sinn FeinPresident Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill, Northern Irelandhis first minister, joined protesters, while Andy Burnhamwho described the march as a “challenging situation”, called for “calm on both sides”.
‘No such thing as half-March’
Earlier this week, Sir Chris had said a resolution to the ongoing stalemate “Tantalizing just a little too far”adding that “a bit through the fog, I can maybe see what that looks like if I can convince everyone to sign up”.
The legal bid launched by residents over the parade committee’s decision to continue the march was due to be heard on Friday, but was postponed until Monday to allow talks to continue.
Map showing where protesters gathered along the planned Orange Order March route
Jamie Bryson, a loyalist activist and legal adviser to the so-called Orangemen, said the group would accept the determination of next week’s legal appeal, and urged the residents of Garvaghy Road to do the same.
Speaking on Thursday, Mr Bryson said: “The challenge we would put to the residents of Garvaghy Road – they are going to the Court of Appeal on Monday – if the Court of Appeal upholds this decision, commit to accept the law and walk away, and we will do the same.
Breandan Mac Cionnaith, of the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition, said he hoped an agreement would be reached but insisted there would be “no such thing as a half march”.
Mr Mac Cionnaith said that “for now” the talks had run their course, adding that a “meeting of minds” was “not possible” at the moment.
Asked if the road would be blocked if the appeal failed, Mr Mac Cionnaith said: “That is not my decision.
“There are 4,000 people in our community who signed a petition.
“If 4,000 people individually decide to come to a certain position at once and make the same decision that they all come together at once.”
