Sean "Spike" Murray, a member of Lord Ashdown's Strategic Review of Parading, issued the appeal after two residents' groups criticised their suggestion that councils and the Stormont Executive should take over responsibility for parades.

Nationalist residents' leaders in two of the most contentious marches — the lower Ormeau in South Belfast and Garvaghy Road in Portadown — accused the body of coming up with a model which could lead to parading decisions being politically influenced.

However they were urged by Mr Murray to study the recommendations and engage fully with the review team before a final report.

"I have been in touch with all the residents' groups and they have said to me they will get the report, they will study the report and they will give us their analysis. I am asking every group to do that.

"It is not a question of who is right and who is wrong. We all have a vested interest in relation to working and dealing with contentious parades. It is in all of our interests — everyone who lives in this country has an interest in resolving parades.

"There are complex issues that will take time to unravel but there's a major determination within this group to give it our best shot."

Under the current system, march organisers must notify the police of proposed routes 28 days in advance. Where a dispute arises and dialogue fails, the Parades Commission is called upon to adjudicate.

The review team has proposed organisers should notify local councils, who will publicise the applications 35 days in advance. Anyone opposing a parade would have a week to raise concerns.

If agreement cannot be reached, the disputed march will be referred to the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister at Stormont who will appoint a team of mediators.

However they have also decided to focus in the months leading to their final report on how the Garvaghy Road/Drumcree and lower Ormeau parades disputes can be resolved.

In a joint statement the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community and Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition claimed the proposals would politicise, rather than de-politicise, marches.

"Both LOCC and GRRC do not believe that this report has brought forward any suitable or viable alternative to the concept of an independent Parades Commission.

"Instead, they see only potential for political interference and manipulation within each of the various strands of bureaucracy it proposes and they fear that the majority of proposals will lead to a pre-1998 situation, re-ignite past tensions and create future inter-communal unrest during the 'marching season'."