THE British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, has warned the Orange Order that it should not feel it won anything at Drumcree, and condemned the behaviour of both sides in the crisis that followed the march.
In an interview with BBC Northern Ireland, he also expressed optimism about the progress of the Northern peace talks and said it was important they proceed "speedily" to more substantive discussions.
Mr Major acknowledged the "enormous disappointment, almost despair" felt by people in the wake of Drumcree, but said he hoped this disappointment could be used to fuel renewed political momentum.
He denied that mob rule had triumphed in the North.
"The events of Drumcree were a disgrace and so were the events that followed it, and on both sides, frankly, the behaviour was in many cases appalling," he said.