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President Joe Biden met Monday with the dad and mom of American journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped in Syria practically 10 years in the past, the White Home stated.
‘Throughout their assembly, the President reiterated his dedication to proceed to work by way of all accessible avenues to safe Austin’s lengthy overdue return to his household,’ White Home press secretary Jen Psaki stated in an announcement summarizing the assembly with Marc and Debra Tice.
She described the encounter as an outgrowth of ‘a number of conferences and conversations’ between the Tice household and White Home nationwide safety officers.
President Joe Biden met Marc (L) and Debra Tice, the dad and mom of US journalist Austin Tice on Monday. They’re seen holding portraits of him throughout a press convention in 2017
Austin Tice’s present whereabouts and well being standing stay unclear. It has been practically ten years since he was final seen after going lacking in Syria in 2012
Debra Tice was launched Saturday evening as being in attendance on the White Home Correspondents’ Affiliation Dinner, the place Biden paid tribute in his remarks to journalists who’re killed, injured, detained or go lacking whereas protecting conflicts.
Biden additionally stated on the occasion that he needed to fulfill with the Tices to discuss their son.
Throughout Saturday evening’s occasion, WHCA president Steve Portnoy of CBC Information requested Debra Tice to face and paid tribute to her son, a contract reporter who labored for CBS, The Washington Publish, and McClatchy. He was kidnapped in Syria on August 14, 2012.
‘Everywhere in the world, journalists are subjected to jailing and intimidation for using pen pad digicam and keyboard. They have been tortured, murdered, kidnapped, and we should always remember, Portnoy stated.
Midway by way of his speech on Saturday evening, Biden stated to Debra Tice: ‘Mother, I might like to fulfill you and Dad to speak about your son’
Marc and Debra Tice, the dad and mom of US journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped in Syria nearly ten years in the past are pictured collectively in 2018
Talking of Austin Tice, Portnoy stated: ‘He needs to be right here with us tonight. However he is been held captive in Syria since 2012. As we pay attention to Trevor Reed’s return our ideas tonight are with Austin Tice.’
Biden, who additionally spoke on the occasion then stated he wish to meet together with her.
Midway by way of his speech, Biden stated to Debra: ‘Mother, I might like to fulfill you and Dad to speak about your son.’
‘After the president made these feedback, clearly we went into motion to work to arrange the assembly,’ Psaki stated Monday, including that the White Home has ‘been very carefully engaged with the household.’
‘In the present day’s assembly constructed on a number of conferences and conversations between the Tice household and the President’s nationwide safety crew, which is able to stay in common contact with the Tices and different households of Individuals held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas.
Debra Tice appeared at White Home Correspondent’s Affiliation dinner on Saturday (above)
President Biden reiterated his dedication to proceed to work by way of all accessible avenues to safe Austin Tice’s lengthy overdue return to his household
‘We admire the bravery and candor of households enduring these harrowing experiences, and we stay dedicated to supporting them and, most significantly, reuniting them with their family members,’ she stated in an announcement.
Tice, a contract journalist who’s from Houston disappeared in August 2012 at a checkpoint in a contested space west of Damascus.
A video launched weeks later confirmed him blindfolded and held by armed males and saying, ‘Oh, Jesus.’
Just one video displaying him alive and he has not been heard from since. Syria has by no means acknowledged holding him.
Within the remaining months of the Trump administration, two U.S. officers – together with the federal government’s prime hostage negotiator, Roger Carstens – made a secret go to to Damascus to hunt info on Tice and different Individuals who’ve disappeared in Syria.
It was the highest-level speak in years between the U.S. and the federal government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, although Syrian officers supplied no significant info on Tice.
Marc and Debra Tice have pleaded with the Biden administration to assist their son. They’re pictured in an interview final August when their son would have turned 40
On the time, Syrian officers informed CBS Information that the Syrian authorities stated no dialogue may happen about U.S. hostages so long as U.S. army forces remained in Syria. Roughly 900 U.S. troops are in Syria.
Psaki informed reporters earlier within the day that there had been a number of conferences between members of the Tice household and administration officers within the final six months, together with one final week.
Debra Tice had beforehand been crucial of her lack of direct White Home entry, saying at a Nationwide Press Membership occasion final December that she had not been capable of get a gathering with Biden since he grew to become president and that he had by no means stated Austin’s title publicly.
Biden’s assembly with Marc and Debra Tice passed off on the White Home on Monday. The couple are pictured throughout a press convention in December 2018
‘The hurdle I am having is the White Home,’ she stated then, including, ‘I’m wondering if he is allowed himself to overlook about Austin. I haven’t got any indication in any other case.’
The Biden administration referred to as on Syria to return Tice final 12 months.
‘We imagine that it’s inside Bashar al-Assad’s energy to free Austin,’ Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in an announcement in August marking Tice’s fortieth birthday.
Final week, the U.S. secured the discharge of Trevor Reed, a U.S. Marine veteran detained in Russia for practically three years, as a part of a prisoner swap.
Family of Reed and different detained Individuals are holding a information convention close to the White Home on Wednesday to advocate for his or her family members’ launch.
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