WITH Northern Ireland facing a summer of turmoil, the NI Secretary of State, Dr Mo Mowlam, has announced "one last push" to defuse the marching season. The last ditch move has been welcomed by nationalists and unionists.
In areas where contentious parades are planned she intends to meet representatives of marching groups such as the Orange Order as well as representatives of nationalist residents, in an effort to find a solution.
"The situation at the Garvaghy Road in Portadown and the Ormeau Road in Belfast will obviously be high on the agenda," she said yesterday in Manchester at a Debate on Reconciliation and Renewal to mark the anniversary of last year's IRA bomb attack.
Her initiative was welcomed by the group representing nationalist residents in the lower Ormeau Road. "Like Mo Mowlam, we believe that local dialogue is the way to resolve the marching issue," said a statement from the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community group, which is meeting the Secretary of State on Wednesday.
Mr Breandan Mac Cionnaith, spokesman for the Garvaghy Residents, welcomed Dr Mowlam's "hands on approach".
Approval of Dr Mowlam's move also came from senior Ulster Unionist Party sources: "We welcome any agreement by which the Portadown Orangemen could, be allowed to exercise their right to walk down the Garvaghy Road in some shape or form."
Dr Mowlam also indicated the British government was preparing to make a statement shortly on issues relating to an IRA ceasefire, particularly the timescale for Sinn Fein's entry to talks.
However, suggestions from the Northern Ireland Office that an announcement might be made as early as Thursday were later withdrawn.
UUP sources said: "We'll wait and see what her statement has to say. We would be looking for a reasonable timescale in which to judge the quality and quantity of any such ceasefire."
There ought to be a date set by which the IRA should call a cease fire because the talks process was being brought into disrepute, UUP sources said.
Dr Mowlam said the British government was "determined" to do all it could to avoid a repeat of last year's "appalling events" at Drumcree and in Belfast. She would engage, along with the Director of Policing and Security at the Northern Ireland Office, Mr John Steele, in an "intensive round of discussions" with all the relevant parties.
On the talks process, Dr Mowlam said: "Working with the Irish Government and the parties we have a great task ahead of us but I firmly believe it is one that is just and right. That is why I want to see early progress.
Despite indications that the expected Sinn Fein meeting with the NIO would take place tomorrow, political sources said this was not likely to occur this week. A delegation from the SDLP is to meet the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, in Dublin this morning and a meeting between Sinn Fein and Mr Ahern is expected shortly.
There is considerable speculation in the North that if the talks process does not make substantial progress in the coming months, the British government will introduce what sources are calling "Plan B" which would involve greater powers for local government bodies and a new Anglo Irish relationship.