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NI talks on flags, parading and the past resume at Stormont Unionists in talks walkout protest over parade decision
(35 minutes later)
A second day of talks between Northern Ireland's main political parties on contentious issues has begun. Unionist parties have walked out of talks about contentious issues in Northern Ireland, after restrictions were placed on an Orange Order parade.
The talks on parades, flags and the legacy of the past are being held at Stormont. The talks on parades, flags and the past were being held at Stormont.
They come six months after the last major push to resolve the outstanding issues, the Haass talks, ended without agreement. The DUP, UUP, TUV, PUP and UPRG issued a joint statement in response to the Parades Commission's decision.
The talks resumed hours before a decision is expected on a controversial return parade in north Belfast. The parties said it showed that "the commission members place no value on a relationship with unionism and have treated our advice with contempt".
The Parades Commission are due to decide whether a 12 July march can walk along part of the Crumlin Road that separates nationalist and loyalist communities. "The DUP and UUP will end their participation in the now fruitless leaders' talks," they said.
On Wednesday, the DUP's Jonathan Bell said the talks would depend on "tolerance and respect" being shown towards Orange parades. 'Serious situation'
He added that if nationalism and republicanism did not change their approach to the matter then the prospects of success in the talks were "very limited". The discussions, which began on Wednesday, came six months after the last major push to resolve the outstanding issues, the Haass talks, ended without agreement.
'Only show in town' The Parades Commission, which issues determinations on contentious marches in Northern Ireland, barred a 12 July Orange Order parade from returning along part of the Crumlin Road in north Belfast.
The Ulster Unionist negotiating team suggested the party negotiators should discuss individual parading issues, like the controversial Orange Order parade past the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast. Several nights of rioting took place after the parade was stopped from returning along the road last year, with scores of officers injured.
However, this proposal did not reach agreement and Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said the discussions would not deal with specific parades. The road separates unionist and nationalist communities.
He added that people had an expectation that elected representatives should deal with the outstanding issues, and the talks were "the only show in town". The unionist parties said in their joint statement that the Parades Commission's determination "creates a serious situation for Northern Ireland".
SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell, on his way in to Wednesday's meeting, said the British and Irish governments should also be there, as the parties must recognise they cannot solve the problems themselves. "We know, having seen republican threats of violence being rewarded, the conclusion is swiftly drawn that violence pays.
Alliance Party leader David Ford said proposals from unionists to separate the talks about parading from those on Northern Ireland's troubled past would be insulting to victims. "We have, for some time, been aware that such an absurd parades determination would bring with it a very real risk of widespread violence and disorder.
They said they had "pledged to work collectively on this issue".
"We do so to avert violence and destruction on our streets with the attendant harm that this would cause to Northern Ireland's community relations and reputation," it said.
"If we are to convince unionists that violence is not the only response to those who have consistently succumbed to republican violence and threats of violence we must provide alternative means to channel justified anger and outrage.
"There will be a graduated unionist response involving the Orange Institution, the PUL (Protestant Unionist Loyalist) community and political unionism. Unionist leaders are willing to share the strain within the political process. Political action in tandem with peaceful and lawful protests is the path we must follow."