Proximity talks between Orangemen and nationalist residents aimed at resolving the Drumcree standoff began yesterday in Belfast, although both sides expressed little hope of an immediate breakthrough.
Three days of intensive negotiations are scheduled to take place at a city-centre location, with the indirect talks being independently facilitated by Mr Frank Blair from the conciliation service ACAS.
With this year's traditional march by Orangemen in Portadown only a month away, the meetings represent the latest effort to find a compromise between the local Orange lodge and residents of the nationalist Garvaghy Road over the controversial parade route.
It is understood that the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, yesterday presented a series of proposals to both sides.
Orangemen have been protesting at Drumcree Hill since last July, when they were prevented from marching down the Garvaghy Road, which they claim is their traditional route.
Members of the two delegations would not comment as they left the Interpoint conference centre yesterday when the talks broke up at 7.30 p.m. The negotiations are due to resume today. However, on the eve of the talks both sides said they were not hopeful of an imminent end to the dispute.
The spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition, Mr Breandan Mac Coinnaith, said residents had little faith in the proximity talks format, which involves a facilitator meeting with each delegation in separate rooms. "We have tried this format before and it has failed," he said.
"The views of our community remain unchanged. We cannot ignore what has been happening in Portadown over the last 11 months and the campaign of intimidation against us by loyalists since last year's march was banned."
The Portadown District Orange Order spokesman, Mr David Jones, said he doubted whether the residents were willing to resolve their differences. "We're prepared to go into these talks, even if it is difficult to see any solution arising from them," he said.
"We suspect the residents are quite content to hide behind the Parades Commission ruling and react whatever way it goes," he added.
The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, said yesterday he believed the Portadown Orange Lodge had entered the talks "positively" and hoped other participants were doing likewise.
"We all have to hope there is a successful and satisfactory resolution to this matter," he added. Mr Trimble said there was not much ground for optimism at present, but it was vital to encourage the participants to try to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
The North's development minister, Mr Paul Murphy, welcomed the start of the talks and said it represented a real opportunity to resolve the situation.
Mr Murphy described the standoff in Portadown as "one of the most bitter and enduring sources of division" in Northern Ireland.
"If we are to reach an agreed resolution of this dispute, a resolution which respects everyone's rights and responsibilities, than all sides must engage constructively and with real commitment in this process," he added.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, said: "We will be patient. But as we move into the marching season, there is a need for a measured feel, that enough is enough."