Interesting debate, would really like to know the definative, offical answer.
Raniboe is sort of right about the SOP thing, life is so so regimented now, we seem to spend half our flying duty making decisions base on the FDM and SOP requirements as opposed to using actual common sense/airmanship..PAH!!
A sidestep can be, even relatively close in, a perfectly safe and 'commercial' procedure, but unfortunately it really depends on the operators rules as well as the crew's and ATC's preferences. Ours are stable 1000" IFR, 500" if visual.
Its probably been debated elsewhere but why is 1000" the common 'stabalised by' point, and why the need to be lined up? If everything else is on the money (config, speed,thrust, ROD, pitch etc) a little visual manouvering (limited bank angle perhaps) should be perfectly safe, or am I missing something here?