THE chairman of the Conservative Party's Northern Ireland backbench committee said he now realises how "disastrous" last week's events in the North were. Mr Andrew Hunter MP said he would be urging unionist leaders to ensure they are not repeated.
Mr Hunter, close to both the Ulster Unionists and the Northern Ireland Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, was in Dublin yesterday to meet the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and other Government and opposition leaders.
He said he would be telling the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr Trimble, he "realised bow disastrous the events of last week were. I shall urge him to do everything possible to ensure there is no repeat."
"More than that, in the light of last week, the credibility of the unionist position at the very least has been challenged, and a demonstrable commitment to progress in the talks and avoiding further trouble in the marching season are obvious ways the peace process can be put back on track."
He acknowledged it had taken several days for the "depth and genuineness of the outcry" among Irish nationalists over the RUC's decision to be appreciated in Britain. Despite the SDLP members' angry interventions in last Thursday afternoon's House of Commons debate, British politicians had "not quite grasped what had gone on" in Portadown.
Mr Hunter stressed "harmonious relations must be restored" between the British and Irish governments. "Mutual support, understanding and friendship are essential. There can be no peace process without them." He was hopeful this could be achieved at yesterday's Anglo Irish InterGovernmental Conference meeting between Mr Spring and Sir Patrick Mayhew in London.
Outside the talks, he said the Apprentice Boys march in Derry on August 10th "must be addressed". Ideally, the political, church and business leaders of that city would be able to come to "an understanding for some sort of compromise based on parity of esteem and the Apprentice Boys will accept that it would be entirely inappropriate for any triumphalism to characterise their activities".
He hoped for "a corresponding feeling from the nationalist community. Provided there is sensitivity and an absence of triumphalism, the Apprentice Boys will be allowed to march on an agreed route".
However, he felt there were a number of "disturbing features not conducive to progress' in the current situation in the North, notably "the fragile nature of the loyalist ceasefire and the lack of cohesion among the unionist parties".
Mr Hunter was in Northern Ireland on Wednesday where he met members of the various parties.