SERIOUS disagreement remains between the Bogside Residents and the Apprentice Boys over the proposed march on Derry's walls next Saturday. Documents exchanged between the parties involved in ongoing negotiations show the main area of contention is the inclusion of the city walls in the march route.
In its paper, the Bogside group insists the march be confined to the city centre and unionist areas.
The Apprentice Boys are insisting that they parade the full circuit of the walls. They say they will allow screens and barbed wire to be erected along the walls which overlook the Bogside. They also suggest that sections of, the walls, deemed to be flashpoints, should be closed by the RUC after the parade to prevent disturbances.
The Apprentice Boys are willing to limit the number of bands on the walls and have dated they will not play on the section over looking the Bogside. They promise to take action against any member who misbehaves.
The residents group says it wants the parade to go off peacefully. It is proposing that locals, not the RUC, steward the parade.
Another proposal which will cause difficulty is the BRG's insistence that there can be no accommodation in Derry unless the Apprentice Boys accept that they will not parade in other nationalist areas - such as the lower Ormeau in Belfast and Bellaghy in Co Derry - without the consent of residents.
The BRG document adds: "We do not wish to construe the principle of consent as indicating that Apprentice Boys must seek permission of nationalists to be Apprentice Boys or to determine how they must celebrate their culture.
"The Bogside Residents' Group accepts the historic importance to the Apprentice Boys', Association of the city of Derry itself, its Anglican cathedral and, the city walls.
"It is not our intention or desire to drive unionists or Protestants from the city. We positively welcome and support diversity and wish to live in a city which is shared and valued by all its citizens."
The BRG has said an agreement must be reached by Wednesday. It proposes that a review group be established with an agreed independent chair to monitor the parade and to make recommendations for future marches.
Meanwhile, the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, has called on the Apprentice Boys to enter dialogue with residents of the lower Ormeau who are also objecting to a march through their area next Saturday.
Also yesterday, the Taoiseach said discussions on the Derry Apprentice Boys' march should concentrate on that particular march. Outside Government Buildings in Dublin, Mr Bruton said it was "fully understood by all those of a nationalist tradition and others that there is a well established precedent" for the march on August 10th.