Marching out of trouble?

Praise for Orange Order Decision

There were fears that the marches would have led to a repeat of the widespread violence which followed last Sunday's Drumcree Orange parade. But late on Thursday evening, local Orange Lodges announced in a series of obviously co-ordinated statements that they would not march through potential flashpoints.

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said the Orange Order move vindicated what he called "the courageous approach" adopted by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Molam, in recent weeks. He expressed his hope that the "common sense" shown would be applied to other contentious isues as well.

Mo Mowlam
The Northern Ireland Secretary praises the Orangemen's "moral courage"

Dr Mowlam said the Orange Order had taken "a decision which is both principled and which has required some moral courage". The announcement would be received with relief and appreciation throughout Northern Ireland and beyond.

She said the ball was now in the IRA's court: "I hope the IRA will announce an unequivocal ceasefire."

The Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, said the Orangemen's decision deserved a positive response from Ulster nationalists, who want to see a united Ireland.

The leader of the moderate nationalist SDLP, John Hume, hailed the "very statesmanlike" decision, predicting that it would "enormously improve the atmosphere" in the province.

Mitchell McLaughlin

The Sinn Fein chairman gives his party's reaction

Unionists, however, were thrown into disarray by the U-turn on parades, with some politicians and Orangemen demanding that the Unionist parties should pull out of the multiparty peace talks on Northernn Ireland