Talks to resolve the impasse between Derry's Apprentice Boys and the Bogside Residents' Group over the contentious Relief of Derry parade on August 12th will resume next week after last Wednesday night's discussions ended without agreement.
The two sides met for almost three hours under the auspices of the Town Centre Management group, which represents local business people, but could not agree on the issue of contentious feeder parades. Both parties, however, agreed to study proposals by the Town Centre Management group, which its chairman, Mr Garvan O'Doherty, said could provide a long-term solution.
"This is a bit of a deja vu scenario because the same issues and the same problems arise year after year. We simply cannot afford the annual civil unrest because that seriously affects our abilities to attract investment. There is a will on both sides and it is important that the talks are taking place. I am hopeful there will be a solution. Derry needs a solution and these difficult issues must be resolved once and for all," Mr O'Doherty said.
The Sinn Fein mayor of Derry, Mr Cathal Crumley, yesterday welcomed the efforts of both sides to reach an accommodation and said he hoped further progress would be made at next Wednesday's talks.
"It is clear that if the will exists an accommodation which recognises and protects the rights of all parties can be reached," he said.
The Parades Commission is due to give its ruling on the parade on Monday, but the Town Centre Management group yesterday insisted a decision by the commission remained a "last resort".
The group's co-chairman, Mr Brendan Duddy, said there was a "palpable spirit of change" in the city and praised both sides for their "tremendous work".
The "sea-change" that was happening in Derry had not quite reached all parts of the North yet - hence the problems with feeder parades from other localities - but he was "very optimistic" that a long-term solution could be reached, he added.
"We have been at this for the past 300 years, so we are not worried about another few days, weeks or even months," Mr Duddy told The Irish Times.
One of the most contentious feeder parades is that on south Belfast's Lower Ormeau Road. Local residents there were voting in a secret ballot on contentious parades last night amid criticism of the poll's format and people's entitlement to take part in it.
Meanwhile, Apprentice Boys Clubs in Co Armagh have accused the Parades Commission of failing to act with fairness and equality after it allegedly did not respond to repeated requests from Apprentice Boys in Lurgan to facilitate discussions with the local business community over the annual "Relief of Derry" parade in the town on August 12th.
The Lurgan Apprentice Boys said they first approached the Parades Commission in March this year asking for a meeting with the local chamber of trade, the RUC and members of the business community who objected to the parade.
A spokesman for the Apprentice Boys, Mr Roy Ferguson, said the Parades Commission had responded by saying it was too busy to comply with the request.
"The commission has failed to facilitate discussion with local business people despite repeated requests to assist in this process," said Mr Ferguson.
"Their response shows a complete indifference and lack of respect for our efforts to positively engage in constructive discussions to resolve the parades issue in Lurgan."
However, the Parades Commission denied yesterday it had ever said it was "too busy" to meet representatives of the Lurgan Apprentice Boys.
A spokesperson said: "There is a meeting set up with the Lurgan Apprentice Boys. Authorised officers of the commission have approached the Lurgan traders and there has been some dialogue.
"We are also meeting other representatives and residents' groups, so there is a lot of consultation going on about the Lurgan parade."