CHRIS BRYANT has said an agreement to end the Garvaghy Road dispute is 'tantalisingly close' but that compromise on all sides will be needed to reach a resolution.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was speaking after further talks at Hillsborough today, during which he spoke separately to representatives of the Garvaghy Road residents and members of the Orange Order.
Breandán Mac Cionnaith of the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition (GRRC) also appeared positive after the talks, suggesting the ball was in the Orange Order's court.
The Orange Order march along the Garvaghy Road was set to go ahead on Sunday for the first time in 28 years after a ruling on Friday from the Parades Commission.
A day of legal action on Saturday ultimately upheld the Commission's ruling, which stated that 35 Orangemen are permitted to walk down the road on their return journey to Portadown from Drumcree church.
However, crowds gathered on the road during the early hours of Sunday morning and have remained at the site, preventing the march's progress.
Orange Order members are waiting at Drumcree church to complete the march, however, the PSNI has so far not been able to facilitate it.
Tensions surrounding the contentious parade sparked some of the worst violence of the Troubles, including the murder of three young Catholic brothers in an arson attack on their Ballymoney home in 1998.
'Another chunk of compromise'
While Mr Bryant sounded positive that a resolution could be reached, he admitted 'we've not got there yet'.
"First of all, I want to say an enormous thank-you to everybody who's been taking part in this process," he told reporters.
"We've not got to the end of this process yet, we're still engaged in warm conversations, everybody's been very frank with each other, open and honest.
"I think that's the best way for us to try to get to a successful resolution because as everybody — not only in Northern Ireland but frankly internationally — looks at the situation here, I think everybody wants to get to a successful resolution so that everybody can have their heads held high.
"We've not got there yet, we're still working on it, I'm not sure whether it's possible.
"I would just appeal to everybody — including the wider community, not just the people who I've been meeting in the room, who are people of good faith — that people are going to have to search deep in their souls for another chunk of compromise.
"My final point is please, please, please just always keep hope alive that everybody in all the different communities is going to have to lean into compromise if we're going to get this over the line."
He added: "I, personally, and everybody in my team is working flat-out to try and get to a successful resolution and I think that is tantalisingly close if everybody can just go that extra mile."
Also speaking outside Hillsborough after today's talks, Mr Mac Cionnaith suggested Garvaghy Road residents were happy with the proposals and were awaiting approval from the Orange Order.
"We've received the document from the Secretary of State, we've went through it is afternoon," he said.
"Obviously I can't divulge what's in it but let's say if it's accepted by the Orange Order it'll be accepted by us, I would say."
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