The Ulster Unionist Party has welcomed the positive response of the three Belfast Orange lodges to the Twaddell/Woodvale Residents` request to engage in direct talks with nationalist residents in Ardoyne, to ensure a peaceful and respectful outcome to the return parade on Friday 12th of July.
Cllr Mark Cosgrove, a member of the Belfast Parades forum and an Ulster Unionist representative at the PSNI talks in Cardiff said:
“Following the very significant work undertaken this year within the entire parading community, culminating in the Orange Order template which was launched last month and the very successful Tour of the North, Whiterock and Ballymacarrett Somme Commemoration Parades, I welcome the latest piece of leadership being shown by the Orange Order in trying to ensure that the three lodges concerned can walk home on the Twelfth in a respectful and dignified manner. I look forward to a positive response from CARA to this initiative.
“All in positions of influence should recognise the significance of this move and I am sure the entire community will hope for a successful outcome which will facilitate a peaceful Twelfth day.”