Taoiseach Bertie Ahern initiated a series of diplomatic initiatives yesterday aimed at limiting the potential international fallout from the return of the "Colombia Three" to Ireland, writes Liam Reid, Political Reporter.
Mr Ahern broke off his holiday to return to Dublin yesterday morning, where he met senior officials within his department to review the situation.
He then instructed officials to brief both US ambassador James Kenny and British charge d'affaires Ted Hallett yesterday on the Government's position.
A senior diplomat has been asked to travel to Bogota from the Embassy in Mexico to meet Colombian authorities to hear that government's concerns "first hand". The diplomat will also outline the Government position and legal situation in Ireland regarding extradition.
The Colombian government has already called for the three men to be arrested and sent back to Bogota to serve their 17½-year jail terms for training Farc guerillas, an offence that they deny.
Gardaí searching for the men have been unable to locate them, despite calls from Government Ministers for them to give themselves up.
Yesterday a spokesman for Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams rejected calls from Tánaiste Mary Harney for Mr Adams to intervene to get the men to contact the Garda.
He said this was unnecessary and could "be easily done through the men's solicitors or through the Bring Them Home campaign committee".
Ms Harney, who is acting Minister for Justice while Michael McDowell is on holidays, said she spoke with Mr Ahern by telephone, but did not believe a face to face meeting was necessary unless there were further developments.
A spokeswoman for Ms Harney said she had been in contact on a number of occasions with Mr McDowell, who is in Australia, about the affair.
Mr Ahern and the Government came under continuing pressure from Opposition parties and unionist politicians over the affair. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny accused the Government of "ambivalence" towards the three and said that if extradition was not a possibility, then other initiatives should be examined, such as a bilateral agreement with Colombia that would see the men serve their prison terms in this State.
It is believed that Department of the Taoiseach officials outlined to the American ambassador and the British charge d'affaires that the Government was unaware of the return of James Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly until the end of last week, when it emerged through RTÉ.
Officials told both the US and British diplomats that any request from the Colombian government would be considered by the Government here in accordance with its legal obligations.
They were also informed that the Government would comply with its obligations under international law, but that there was no extradition treaty between Colombia and the Republic of Ireland.
Legal experts have indicated that the lack of an extradition treaty between the two countries means that any request is likely to be unsuccessful, and that the Government has limited discretion.
A spokesman for the US embassy declined to comment on the briefing.
The US state department, however, issued a statement at the weekend which said the three men were "fugitives from justice".
During his briefing, the British charge d'affaires reiterated the UK position that if the three were found in UK territory, they would be held and any extradition request from the Colombian authorities would be dealt with swiftly.
There is also the possibility that the three could face charges within Ireland for travelling on false passports, but Mr Ahern has already indicated this is a matter for the Garda and Director of Public Prosecutions.