THE UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, admitted last night that he had negotiated with a prominent Portadown loyalist who is a former UVF prisoner, at the height of the Drumcree crisis.
On the BBC Panorama programme last night, the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Annesley, asserted that there had been paramilitary influence on both sides in the crisis, and that this had led to a situation where, when a "deal" was almost delivered "it was prevented from becoming a deliverable deal".
"I believe, had it not been for paramilitary influence, it would have been possible to broker a deal," said Mr Annesley.
Asked how he knew that, the Chief Constable replied: "Special branch sources. Intelligence. I'm in no doubt about it whatsoever, absolutely none".
The programme alleged that Mr Trimble had taken part in a meeting on Wednesday, July 10th, in which the Portadown loyalist, Mr Billy Wright, participated. The programme asserted that when he entered that meeting, Mr Trimble was holding information or documents which included a "secret dialogue" with the UVF.
Asked why he had been talking to somebody he would regard as a former convicted UVF prisoner, Mr Trimble replied: "Well, we were in a rather volatile situation there and we knew it was volatile . . . We were very anxious that the paramilitaries would not break their ceasefire."
Asked what he had said to Mr Wright, he replied: "We said that we didn't want any violence."
The Panorama programme then showed a clip of Mr Wright in which he said: "David Trimble was not in negotiation with me. What I am aware of was what was being asked of the loyalist community in Portadown the price that was to be extracted for the Drumcree parade to be allowed to walk.
"And I have to say that basically the fundamental issue was: had anyone the right to demand who walks where?"
Asked why he had talked to someone who he would regard as a former loyalist paramilitary prisoner and terrorist, Mr Trimble replied: "I've done that before. We're dealing with people who are on a ceasefire." He pointed out that the IRA ceasefire had been terminated.
The programme also interviewed the Catholic Primate, Cardinal Daly, who said that a deadline of 10.30 a.m. had been imposed on him and the other church leaders to reach a resolution on Thursday morning, July 11th. Asked who had set that deadline, he said he would like to know.
Mr Trimble asserted that the Northern Ireland Office had put the time limit on the church leaders' negotiations with the Garvaghy Road residents and the Orangemen.
The Panorama programme said that the deadline had been set by the NIO to give the Chief Constable time to move before the expected crisis with the Orange crowd that evening.
The Chief Constable said: "I got a message from the church that they had failed."
Mr Annesley said that he subsequently spoke to two of the church leaders to express his concern. But the moment he got the message that they could not deliver he had immediately given a direction to his subordinate officers "to take the Garvaghy Road for the reducing of the Garvaghy Road problem and to push the march through".
Mr Annesley vehemently denied that there had been any political involvement or interference in his decision.
However, he commented that there had been many people who had failed to address the problem of controversial parades which had been evident since last year.
Mr Annesley also observed that the Orangemen and others talked constantly of being part of the United Kingdom. "If that is so then it's their duty to fall into line with the general stance of complying with the rule of law that pertains throughout the rest of Great Britain".
He also commented that he would not say that the Garvaghy Road residents group was a front for the IRA. However, it was dominated, in terms of influence, by Sinn Fein.
The programme claimed that Mr Trimble had tried to get the Orangemen to sign up to a compromise, but that his problems were with the extreme elements. There had been indications that the loyalist showdown with the RUC was being orchestrated by local paramilitaries and that they were urging the Orangemen not to compromise on any account.
The Alliance party leader, Dr John Alderdice, said the Panorama revelation that Mr Trimble had held discussions with a man who had been convicted of loyalist paramilitary activities in the past meant he had lost all political and moral authority.
The Ulster Unionist Party as a whole had been seriously tainted by the revelation and it was now up to the party to consider whether Mr Trimble should remain as its leader.
Dr Alderdice said it was all the more damming that Mr Trimble should have held these discussions at the height of the illegal orange protest at Drumcree.
The Alliance leader accused Mr Trimble of "appalling hypocrisy" in not being prepared to meet the Garvaghy Residents Association because one of its leading spokes people had a conviction for republican activities, yet being quite willing to meet a person at Drumcree who had previous loyalist convictions.
Dr Alderdice said that many people would find it quite extraordinary that Mr Trimble could admit having had such discussions with such equanimity.