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North Belfast parade: Theresa Villiers to announce panel North Belfast parade: Theresa Villiers announces panel to be set up
(about 1 hour later)
The Northern Ireland Office is expected to make an announcement on a parade dispute in north Belfast later. The Secretary of State Theresa Villiers has announced a panel will be set up to examine a parade dispute in north Belfast.
It is thought Secretary of State Theresa Villiers will announce a panel to examine a dispute over Ligoniel Orange Lodge applications to walk along a stretch of road that separates nationalist and unionist communities. It will look at ways of resolving the deadlock over Ligoniel Orange Lodge applications to walk along a stretch of road that separates nationalist and unionist communities.
The Parades Commission banned the return leg of a parade in July.The Parades Commission banned the return leg of a parade in July.
The panel is likely to include academics and other community figures. The panel will include academics and other community figures.
It is understood the panel is being asked to report back by the end of January. The Orange Order parade on 12 July has been banned from walking along the stretch of the Crumlin Road on their way home from traditional Battle of the Boyne commemorations for the past two years.
Unionist leaders are expected to gather at Stormont on Tuesday to discuss their response to the panel. Three lodges and two bands want to complete a parade that was restricted on 12 July 2013.
Several nights of rioting took place after that march was stopped, with scores of police officers injured.
In July, a joint news conference attended by unionist leaders and senior Orangemen demanded an inquiry into the north Belfast marching issue, warning that if their request was not accepted they would engage in a "graduated response" in protest over Parades Commission rulings.In July, a joint news conference attended by unionist leaders and senior Orangemen demanded an inquiry into the north Belfast marching issue, warning that if their request was not accepted they would engage in a "graduated response" in protest over Parades Commission rulings.
In response, the secretary of state said she would consider their call.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ms Villiers said she had been clear from the outset that "nothing would be done which undermined the role or remit of the Parades Commission as the lawful authority for adjudicating contentious parades in Northern Ireland".
She said that "having listened carefully" to the views expressed by political parties and other interested bodies, there was "merit" in a panel being established.
"In discussion, there were divergent views about the merits of such a proposal," she said.
"But there was also a measure of consensus that something had to be done to help break the deadlock in the Ardoyne/Twaddell area.
"And that mediation and dialogue between local people aimed at reaching a local accommodation should be an essential ingredient of any such approach."
It is understood the panel is being asked to report back by the end of January.
Unionist leaders are expected to gather at Stormont to discuss their response to the panel.
Last month, Ms Villiers announced plans for fresh inter-party talks to deal with the issues of flags, parades and the past.Last month, Ms Villiers announced plans for fresh inter-party talks to deal with the issues of flags, parades and the past.
Following her announcement, the DUP said it was not prepared to move forward with the talks until a decision was made on an inquiry into parades in north Belfast.Following her announcement, the DUP said it was not prepared to move forward with the talks until a decision was made on an inquiry into parades in north Belfast.
The secretary of state has been holding discussions with the five main parties in Northern Ireland to finalise details of how the new talks process would work.The secretary of state has been holding discussions with the five main parties in Northern Ireland to finalise details of how the new talks process would work.
Last year, US diplomat Dr Richard Haass and his associate, Dr Meghan O'Sullivan, failed in their attempts to reach all-party agreement about the issues of past, parades, flags and emblems.Last year, US diplomat Dr Richard Haass and his associate, Dr Meghan O'Sullivan, failed in their attempts to reach all-party agreement about the issues of past, parades, flags and emblems.