The RUC has ordered the rerouteing of three flashpoint "feeder" parades which are scheduled to take place on Saturday morning ahead of the traditional Apprentice Boys' parade in Derry later that afternoon.
Police said last night that the Apprentice Boys' organisations in Dunloy, Bellaghy and the Lower Ormeau Road in Belfast had been served notice that there would be "conditions" on parades in these areas.
As efforts continue to find agreement for the Apprentice Boys' parade in Derry on Saturday, this move by the RUC may help to ease the way for the annual Derry parade to proceed unhindered.
The Bogside Residents' Group has said it would not object to the Apprentice Boys marching the full length of Derry's walls, including the controversial stretch overlooking the nationalist Bogside, if the feeder parades were cancelled.
It was reported last night that the Apprentice Boys in Dunloy were instructed by police to reroute their Saturday morning parade away from the predominantly nationalist Co Antrim village.
It is understood that the conditions imposed in Bellaghy, Co Derry, and on the Lower Ormeau Road are designed to reroute these parades in a manner sufficient to meet the objections of nationalists.
In recent years, there have been violent clashes in these areas involving nationalists, loyalists and the RUC during Orange Order parades.
Earlier, talks aimed at finding an agreement between the Bogside Residents' Group and the Apprentice Boys before next Saturday's parade ended yesterday without an agreement.
The talks were co-chaired by the Mayor of Derry, Mr Martin Bradley, the Rev Roy Magee of the Parades Commission, and Mr Ian Young, president of the Chamber of Commerce in Derry.
It is understood that the demand by the Bogside Residents' Group that the so-called feeder parades in Bellaghy, Dunloy and Lower Ormeau Road should take place only with the agreement of local residents' groups was unacceptable to the Apprentice Boys.
After four hours of separate meetings with the Apprentice Boys and the Bogside group, Mr Magee said that despite the impasse he remained hopeful that an agreement could be reached.
"I think it might take a bit of hard work but I think something can be worked out that will provide an accommodation for next Saturday."
The Bogside residents' spokesman, Mr Donnacha Mac Niallais, said the issue of feeder parades remained unresolved. "Crucially these have not been resolved. We are hopeful they can yet be resolved and we have agreed to stay in touch with the three mediators and we are hopeful that an accommodation can be reached."
Speaking after the meeting, the Apprentice Boys' governor, Mr Alistair Simpson, said he would do all in his power to ensure next Saturday passed off peacefully. "Meetings are taking place on the so-called feeder parades," he said.
Asked how the Apprentice Boys would react if their feeder parades were banned by the RUC, Mr Simpson said: "Well, I would hope that that decision does not arise, that they're going to ban anything. We are working on the basis that there are no bans and that everything should work out peacefully."
Meanwhile serious attempts are expected to be made in the coming days to avert further clashes at parades on the Fermanagh border this weekend following Sunday's trouble at a Royal Black march. The Royal Black Preceptory in Newtownbutler plans to hold marches in the village again, as does a lodge in nearby Roslea.
A leading preceptory member has firmly ruled out calling off the two parades in Newtownbutler this Saturday after an appeal to do so by the Newtownbutler Area Residents' Association.
A Newtownbutler Residents' Association spokesman, Mr Kevin Lawrenson, has said that talks between both sides will have to take place on all future marches and they will choose whom they wish to represent them. The order has previously refused to meet Mr Lawrenson, who is a Sinn Fein member.
The Roslea Gordon and Nixon Memorial Lodge remained silent yesterday on a proposal by the local residents' group that if they shortened the march route a planned protest will be called off.
The Royal Black Institution has not stated whether it intends to parade through the mainly nationalist village of Roslea this Saturday but its path has been blocked in the past two years.
Last year the RUC rerouted the march and this was accepted by the order.
