There were further indications last night that the Drumcree situation in Portadown may be approaching resolution following the most peaceful parade since 1995 when the current impasse began.
Speaking during a deluge at the barricade blocking the parade's route via the Garvaghy Road, the district master of Portadown Orange Lodge, Darryl Hewitt, said "Let there be no doubt. We are committed to face-to-face talks under an independent chairman with no preconditions."
He continued: "All options are open. I cannot make it any clearer and there should be no need for further clarification."
Sinn Féin Assembly member John O'Dowd said talks could start following the peaceful end to yesterday's parade.
"The Parades Commission have said themselves that it will take a period of time to establish the framework . . . there needs to be a mediator appointed and an independent chair," he said.
Among those mentioned as possible chairman of talks are the former Church of Ireland primate Lord Robin Eames, former Policing Board vice-chairman Denis Bradley and former taoiseach Albert Reynolds.
Speaking before yesterday's parade set out from Portadown, Mr Hewitt said the Orangemen had proposed Mr Reynolds as their number one choice as mediator/chairman as "he has been involved in delicate negotiations". He continued: "We didn't want to pick someone from the British establishment, and it had to be someone who would be acceptable to the other side."
The 200th Drumcree Orange parade took place amidst the lightest security presence for many years. It is now 10 years since the parade followed its traditional route back to Portadown via the Garvaghy Road.
Only 10 PSNI officers were near the blockade at the bottom of Drumcree hill beyond which Orangemen were not permitted to pass. There was no British army presence.
A few PSNI vehicles were stationed along the road to the nationalist Garvaghy district with one police helicopter overhead as marchers made a formal protest.
They dispersed peacefully, vowing to return every Sunday to try to complete their march, as they have done nearly every week since the Parades Commissionfirst refused them permission to march along Garvaghy Road in 1998.
The Garvaghy Road itself was almost deserted with many residents attending the Armagh-Derry football match in Clones, Co Monaghan.
At the barricade Mr Hewitt broke from traditional rhetoric to state his willingness to hold face-to-face talks with Garvaghy residents. He concluded: "My question today is, 'Who is refusing to talk now?'."