The Orange Order's leadership in Portadown is coming under increasing pressure from grassroots members to resolve the 14-month-old Drumcree parade impasse before the end of September.
In recent weeks there has been growing discontent within the rank-and-file membership of Port adown District at what hardline Orangemen call "the ineffective policy the District Officers have adopted in relation to resolving the Drumcree standoff".
The unrest comes as representatives of the Portadown District took part in discussions on Drumcree with the North's new Minister of Political Development, Mr George Howarth, at Castle Buildings, Stormont, last night. However, an informed Orange Order source said there was "no way these discussions with George Howarth will resolve the Drumcree parade issue.
"There can't be any development on the Drumcree parade without the Garvaghy Road residents' input," the source said. "The Portadown District Officers know that. They are there because they have been suckered into a process which involves them putting their trust in First Minister David Trimble. Any solution to Drumcree which involves David Trimble will simply not be accepted by rank-and-file Orangemen in Portadown."
Initially, this latest round of discussions on Drumcree was to have included representatives of the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition. However, the Residents' Coalition said it would not be meeting Mr Howarth because agreement had not been reached "on the format, structures, agenda or participants" to be included in any further talks on Drumcree.
A spokesman for the Residents' Coalition said its position on future talks had been made clear to Mr Tony Blair last week. "We did impress upon Mr Blair the need to properly design a process of integrity in which all participants could have confidence and trust".
The Residents' Coalition said it would be meeting the Stormont Minister, Mr Adam Ingram, on Thursday. It also repeated its demand for face-to-face dialogue with the Portadown Orangemen.
The coalition's decision not to take part in yesterday's discussions with Mr Howarth was criticised by a senior Orange Order representative, Mr David McNarry, who accused it of "losing its bottle".
Mr Trimble has said that the latest series of Drumcree talks should be the "culmination" of the 14-month protest.