THE first crucial test in three days of marching tension facing the North will be encountered tonight, when nationalists plan to parade to the centre of Derry, apparently as a pre-emptive counter demonstration to tomorrow's big Apprentice Boys march in the city.
With fears still mounting over how the Apprentice Boys will react to the security measures denying them access to part of the city walls overlooking the Bogside, their leaders continued to express anger and frustration after an hour long meeting with the Northern Secretary, Sir Pathrick Mayhew, at Stormont.
Whatever emerges out of the uncertainty facing Derry tonight and tomorrow will have a bearing on the third critical hurdle of the weekend an internment anniversary parade organised by Sinn Fein to Belfast city centre on Sunday. Unionists have warned that it will face citywide protests.
Hopes for preserving peace in Derry hinge on a number of variable and unpredictable factors including the weather, the determination of the Apprentice Boys leadership to preserve discipline, and the possible involvement of outside groups or individuals bent on disorder.
According to sources, a US diplomatic official will be present in Derry from today to observe the build up to the weekend's volatile events, which will involve one of the largest combined RUC and British army security operations seen in the city.
Concern is continuing to develop about possible trouble during preliminary Apprentice Boys' parades in at least four other flash point towns and villages tomorrow morning.
Emerging from yesterday's Stormont meeting, the governor of the Apprentice Boys, Mr Alistair Simpson, said that they had relayed to Sir Patrick the anger, sense of betrayal and injustice felt by their organisation and the wider loyalist and unionist community over his order banning parades and meetings on the western section of Derry's walls for the remainder of August.
Mr Simpson claimed that the Northern Secretary had acknowledged that this was "an unjust decision", but said he had attempted to justify it on pragmatic grounds.
"The Secretary of State recognised the responsible a adopted by the Apprentice Boys, but this is of little consolation when he punishes those who were reasonable and rewards those who were not", said Mr Simpson.
The DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, who accompanied the delegation, said that the entire unionist community was outraged at the decision, which was "a capitulation to the Sinn Fein threats".
The Bogside Residents' (BRG) has so far refused to cancel tonight's parade to The Diamond in Derry, but has given an assurance that nationalists will not confront the RUC or loyalists. It has asked those attending the march to reassemble at Free Derry Corner in the Bogside during the main Apprentice Boys' parade inside the city walls tomorrow afternoon.
The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, last night expressed regret that agreement had not been reached on the nature of the Apprentice Boys' march tomorrow, but said it was the overwhelming mood of the people of the city that there be no violence. Speaking on RTE's Prime Time last night, he said that he intended to ask the Bogside residents to consider cancelling tonight's protest march. "The eyes of the whole world will be on our city this weekend. Let us make sure that they see a totally positive and peaceful city," he said earlier.
The three main church leaders in Derry also issued a joint statement yesterday appealing for calm, moderation and responsible citizenship.
Mr Gregory Campbell, a Derry DUP councillor, said that the Apprentice Boys were considering a number of options, but details of their plans would not be revealed until tomorrow.
Although soldiers have erected concrete blocks, steel screens and barbed wire to seal off the section of walls defined in the Northern Secretary's order, senior security sources insisted last night that there was still time for agreement between the parties to the controversy. If local agreement was reached, Sir Patrick could rescind his banning order and open the walls for some form of compromise parade by the Apprentice Boys' parent clubs.
Official sources in Dublin said last night the Government was keeping in touch with the different parties involved in the Derry situation.