Northern Ireland First Minister Mr David Trimble today urged the Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid to meet Portadown Orangemen in a bid to resolve the Drumcree dispute.
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Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr John Reid
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Mr Trimble said after meeting a delegation of Orangemen from Portadown that the Parades Commission and various initiatives had failed, and it was up Dr Reid to take control.
"The [British] government has to act itself and to take back into its own hands the power to act on this issue," he said.
As the Drumcree dispute enters its 1,000 day this weekend, Mr Trimble said he would be speaking to the Secretary of State on the issue.
The Orange Order has been banned from marching down the nationalist Garvaghy Road from its traditional parade on the first Sunday in July since 1998.
Mr Trimble said: "I shall be urging him to meet Portadown district officers and indeed to meet the Garvaghy Road residents, but not just to inform himself but with a view to acting."
PA