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North Belfast parade: Theresa Villiers announces panel to be set up North Belfast parade: Cameron says panel is a bid to 'defuse a difficult situation'
(about 3 hours later)
The Secretary of State Theresa Villiers has announced a panel will be set up to examine a parade dispute in north Belfast. Prime Minister David Cameron has said a decision to set up a panel to examine a parade dispute in Belfast is an attempt to "defuse" a difficult situation.
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 panel was announced by Secretary of State Theresa Villiers, to look at ways of resolving the 15-month deadlock over a contentious Orange Order march.
The Parades Commission banned the return leg of a parade in July. Unionists had campaigned for an inquiry into the north Belfast parade dispute.
The panel will include academics and other community figures. Mr Cameron said his government had not caved into unionist demands and that Ms Villiers was right to seek a solution.
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. 'Further clarification'
Three lodges and two bands want to complete a parade that was restricted on 12 July 2013. "This is a particularly difficult issue and I think the secretary of state is absolutely right to set up a panel and set out, today, its terms of reference to see if an agreement can be found," the prime minister said.
"It's about trying to defuse this difficult situation and make this work for everyone concerned."
In a joint response, unionist leaders said they had considered Ms Villiers' announcement but wanted further clarification on "the panel's terms of reference, membership, functions and reporting".
However, Sinn Féin have rejected the new panel, accusing Ms Villiers of giving in to unionist pressure and the SDLP said the move had undermined the work of the Parades Commission.
Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said: "What she has announced is basically the British government kowtowing to an ultimatum made by the unionist parties after they walked out of the party leadership talks.
He added: "This is not about mediation, it is about allowing unionism to make a precondition before going into very important talks. It does not bode well for the talks."
The dispute centres on applications by Ligoniel Orange Lodge to march along a stretch of Belfast's Crumlin Road that separates nationalist and unionist communities.
For the past two summers, they have been refused permission to hold the return leg of their annual 12 July parade along the route.
In July this year, unionist leaders demanded an inquiry after the Parades Commission banned the return leg for the second year in a row.
Mr Cameron denied the government had given in to unionist pressure, saying: "Where you have these problems, I think there are occasions for the secretary of state to act in this way to try and bring people together, to try and find a local solution.
"In the end these parade issues are only solved when people agree to sit round the table and come up with an answer that everyone can find acceptable."
Rioting
The panel, set up by Ms Villiers, will include academics and other community figures.
Orange Order parades are held throughout Northern Ireland on 12 July to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne.
In north Belfast, three lodges and two bands want to complete a parade that was first restricted on 12 July 2013.
Several nights of rioting took place after that march was stopped, with scores of police officers injured.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, the secretary of state 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".
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". Ms Villiers said that "having listened carefully" to the views expressed by political parties and other interested bodies, there was "merit" in a panel being established.
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. 'Mediation'
"In discussion, there were divergent views about the merits of such a proposal," she said."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."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.""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.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. Unionist leaders gathered 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. In a joint statement, they said: "We believe we need further clarification from the secretary of state on some of the panel's terms of reference, membership, functions and reporting.
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. "Our objective is to resolve issues in parading and we want to ensure the panel is capable of achieving that objective. After this we will meet again to discuss the next steps in our joint response."
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.