Blair in effort to resolve parade standoff

The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, has added his weight to the efforts to resolve the longstanding Drumcree standoff when he yesterday met the Orange Order and the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition.

With less than three weeks to go to the 1999 annual Drumcree parade, Mr Blair met the groups separately at Stormont yesterday afternoon, before flying back to London.

There was no sign of any impending resolution of the dispute although both sides have agreed to further talks chaired by independent arbitrator Mr Frank Blair.

Mr Breandan Mac Cionnaith of the Garvaghy group said he received an assurance from the Prime Minister that there would be no imposed solution in which Orangemen would be forced down Garvaghy Road.

He said it remained to be seen whether he could accept this assurance. "We are conscious of the fact that the Parades Commission are due to make their determination on the July 4th parade on Monday week," said Mr Mac Cionnaith.

Orange Order representatives had accused the arbitrator of bias after he tabled a discussion paper over a week ago suggesting that Portadown Orangemen would parade down Garvaghy Road on July 4th, but in future years take an alternative route.

There were indications that they would not hold future meetings with the arbitrator, but yesterday, after their talks with the British Prime Minister, they held a lengthy meeting that involved Mr Frank Blair.

They accused the Garvaghy group of failing to honour an agreement to engage in proximity talks at Stormont yesterday. Mr Mac Cionnaith and his colleagues from the coalition left Stormont after meeting the Prime Minister.

"We are disappointed and frustrated by the fact that yet again the residents' coalition have shown that they are not interested in finding a solution," said Mr George Patton, secretary of the Order.

"They have shown total contempt not only for the Orange institution but also the government and any attempt to move forward is stifled by the total intransigence of the residents," he added.

Mr Mac Cionnaith said, however, that they were leaving to attend a memorial service for the coalition's solicitor, Rosemary Nelson, who was murdered three months ago by loyalists.