However, Alex Maskey has pledged to lay a laurel wreath at the City Hall cenotaph at 0900 BST on the morning of the anniversary.

This is two hours before the official remembrance ceremony begins.

He said he would be laying the wreath in memory of, and in tribute to, all men who died at the Somme and during the First World War.

My initiative on this issue is equally in recognition of the sorrow, hurt and suffering left behind for their relatives, friends and comrades

Alex Maskey Lord Mayor

Mr Maskey said he was "struggling to demonstrate that there is another road to take when local government is remembering the fallen".

"I am laying this wreath in memory of and tribute to all the men who made the supreme sacrifice at the Battle of the Somme and during the First World War," he said.

"My initiative on this issue is equally in recognition of the sorrow, hurt and suffering left behind for their relatives, friends and comrades.

"My objective, beyond this, is to seek to identify common ground for all of us in this generation."

While he said he would not "impede or compete with" the form of the commemoration, he said: "In the circumstances of today, I believe this should be reviewed.

"I will contribute in a positive way to the development of the public debate about the use of flags, emblems, badges, memorials and commemorations."

Ulster Unionist councillor Chris McGimpsey said: "As first citizen, he said he wished to represent all the people of Belfast, and to do that, he should attend a commemoration which is important to unionists.

Alex Maskey: "Commemoration should be reviewed"

"He should simply be attending in order to lay a wreath on behalf of the people of Belfast and leaving afterwards."

Mr McGimpsey said he did not feel unionists could be offended by Mr Maskey's presence at the ceremony.

"I don't think unionists could complain if he attended and paid tribute to their traditions. I think as mayor, he is expected to be there."

When he was elected Belfast's first republican lord mayor earlier this month, Mr Maskey pledged to work for equality for all.

He said it was an honour to represent the city.

Unionists reacted angrily to Mr Maskey's election.

He was elected after getting 26 votes with the backing of the SDLP and the Alliance Party in the vote at the City Hall.

Unionist councillors walked out of the City Hall and threatened to withhold co-operation with Sinn Fein by refusing to fill the deputy lord mayor's position.