The Grand Master of the Orange Order, Mr Robert Saulters, has called on the Ulster Unionist Party to withdraw from talks in Weston Park, Shropshire, aimed at saving the peace process.
Mr Saulters, who is not regarded as a hardline leader, made the appeal while addressing a Twelfth of July demonstration in Benburb, Co Tyrone, yesterday. Tens of thousands of Orangemen took part in parades at 19 venues across the North. The marches passed off peacefully.
The Weston Park talks resume today amid pessimism that a deal can be reached. The fringe loyalist parties, the Progressive Unionist Party and the Ulster Democratic Party, are boycotting the negotiations. Both are highly critical of Sinn Fein's attitude to the discussions.
Mr Saulters said all "true unionists" should abandon the Weston Park talks. "It is time for us to pull the plug, to walk out. Tony Blair is fooling no one with his gimmicky meetings. Neither is the juggling of the Stormont First Minister post. Frankly, if there were any guts among all unionists, they would have walked out by now and demanded a proper democratic government for Northern Ireland."
The largest Orange demonstration took place in Belfast, where another vociferous attack was made on the peace process. Former UUP MP Mr Willie Ross told marchers that it was "a surrender process" which had led to the release of republican prisoners, Sinn Fein in government, and no decommissioning.
At Derriaghy, Co Antrim, UUP MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson said he was returning to today's Weston Park talks "very reluctantly".
The negotiations would be a "complete waste of time" unless there was movement on decommissioning. Without progress on the arms issue, the peace process would continue to unravel, he added.
Mr Donaldson challenged the British Prime Minister to introduce legislation to remove Sinn Fein from government if the stalemate continued. Unionist patience had been exhausted, he said.
"We need to see actual decommissioning of IRA weapons in a manner which clearly renders them permanently unusable and permanently inaccessible," he said.
"Mere statements from the mythical `P O'Neill' or agreement on modalities or timetables will not suffice. Product is required as a matter of urgency." There was strong condemnation of the Parades Commission at various parades. The Orange Order launched a "covenant for human rights" as part of its campaign for the right to march. It is taking the Parades Commission to the European Court of Human Rights on the issue.
In Belfast, a security barrier prevented Orangemen from entering the nationalist Lower Ormeau Road. Around 100 people held a protest in front of the barricade. They expressed disappointment that other districts didn't join them as they had in the previous two years.
Tensions were high when loyalist feeder parades passed the Springfield Road and Ardoyne yesterday morning. Nationalist residents staged protests but there were no major incidents during the day. Rioting broke out last night, however, resulting in injuries to five RUC officers.
Portadown Orangemen joined their Co Armagh brethren in the Keady demonstration.
The Co Armagh Grand Master, Mr Denis Watson, called for the Parades Commission to be "decommissioned".
In Portglenone, Co Antrim, the Rev Ian Paisley told the Independent Loyal Institution's parade that Mr David Trimble's political career was in its final days.
In Derry there was an hour-long stand-off when a lone Orange lodge refused to join the city's main Twelfth demonstration in protest at being rerouted. An RUC spokesman said the protest had broken restrictions imposed by the Parades Commission. "We are noting this. This will be reported as a breach," he said.
In the nationalist Gobnascale area, youths attacked the RUC with petrol and paint bombs.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Parades Commission, Mr Tony Holland, has said he believes Portadown Orangemen will eventually be allowed to march down Garvaghy Road.
"It will happen sooner rather than later and as soon as it does happen . . . you immediately have a change of perceptions on both sides and you can have equality of parading."