A new body reviewing parades in Northern Ireland will today begin its work under the chairmanship of former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown.
The Strategic Review Parading Body will hold its first meeting in Belfast, with a nationalist residents group spokesperson and former IRA prisoner Sean "Spike" Murray and Loyalist Commission chairman the Rev Mervyn Gibson taking part.
Lord Ashdown - a former international high representative for Bosnia who was raised in Northern Ireland - will also meet the joint heads of the new powersharing executive, First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont.
The review team has been asked by Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain to make recommendations on how parading can be taken forward in a way "consistent with the shared future objectives of respect, tolerance, responsible citizenship and promoting equality of opportunity and human rights".
It is due to report back to the British government next year.
Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds and Assembly colleague Nelson McCausland have expressed amazement and disgust at the decision to appoint Mr Murray.
In April they said: "This appointment is neither appropriate, helpful or conducive to progress. The decision by Peter Hain to appoint Sean Murray has the potential to seriously undermine the review process in this crucial area. It shows a lack of sensitivity."
"For the review to work all perspectives need aired," Mr Murray responded.