THE British government seems set to opt for a phased implementation of the recommendations of the North Report on Parades and Marches, to be published in Belfast this morning.
The move is certain to generate a major political row if nationalists decide that the British government has tailored its response in face of unionist pressure.
The Independent Review, headed by Dr Peter North, recommends that a Parades Commission replace the RUC as the statutory body empowered to make decisions about disputed parades in Northern Ireland. The appointment of the five member independent body is central to the report, commissioned by Sir Patrick Mayhew after last summer's events at and surrounding the Orange march at Drumcree.
But while the Northern Ireland Secretary is thought unlikely to reject any of the report's recommendations outright, sources suggested he would seek lengthy consultation on the most contentious issue - effectively ruling out necessary legislation this side of the British general election.
The sources said this pointed to a two stage approach, with the proposed commission limited in the first instance to an educational, conciliation and advisory role. That would appear to fit neatly with proposals from the Ulster Unionists, who have already denounced the North Report.
A fierce political row seems inevitable if nationalists consider the government to have responded to unionist pressure when Sir Patrick makes his statement to the House this afternoon.
And there will be pressure on Dr Mo Mowlam, the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary - who led the calls for the Independent Review - to spell out what would be the attitude of an incoming Labour government.
Sources last night confirmed that Dublin had not yet been advised or consulted, although a briefing is expected before Sir Patrick makes his statement.
There were suggestions at Westminster that the Secretary of State may have encountered difficulties from a number of ministers at Tuesday's meeting of the cabinet's Northern Ireland committee, after intensive behind the scenes lobbying by Ulster Unionist MPs.
The North Report recommends that the Parades Commission have the following rem it:
. Education, working for "greater understanding" at local level;
. promoting and facilitating mediation and the search for local accommodation;
. to consider what conditions might be imposed on individual parades;
. to keep under review a proposed Code of Conduct;
. and to arrange for contentious parades and protests to be monitored.
It proposes an amendment to the Public Order order to ensure "consideration is given to the wider impact of a parade on relationships within the community". And it recommends that "the Parades Commission should be empowered to reach and promulgate conclusions in relation to one or more parades in an area and to do so where appropriate over a period longer than a year".
If the Chief Constable of the RUC is seriously concerned about any decision of the Parades Commission, he would be able to appeal to the Northern Secretary. And it would then be open to the Secretary to reconsider the Commission's determination.
The report also recommends "that a new offence should be created to penalise the conduct of individuals who set out deliberately through force of numbers or threat of disorder to contravene the legal determination of the Parades Commission, in defiance of its authority".
In the first of its 43 recommendations, the report says "the right to peaceful free assembly should (subject to certain qualifications), be protected".
But it continues: "The exercise of that right brings with it certain responsibilities; in particular those seeking to exercise that right should take account of the likely effect of doing so on their relationships with other parts of the community, and be prepared to temper their approach accordingly."