Direction of Evita somewhat peripheral throughout (4)

I believe the answer is:

east

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'direction' is the definition.
(east is a kind of direction)

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for east that I've seen before include "Compass direction" , "E" , "course" , "An opponent of North" , "Asia" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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