US President Donald Trump wrote to Syrian President Bashar Assad proposing direct dialogue between the two nations to secure the release of freelance journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared while reporting in Damascus eight years ago, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2020) US President Donald Trump wrote to Syrian President Bashar Assad proposing direct dialogue between the two nations to secure the release of freelance journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared while reporting in Damascus eight years ago, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Friday.
"President Trump wrote to Bashar Al-Assad in March to propose direct dialogue. No one should doubt the President's commitment to bringing home all U.S. citizens held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas. Nowhere is that determination stronger than in Austin Tice's case," Pompeo said.
Friday marked the anniversary of the Tice's August 14, 2012 disappearance in Syria.
Pompeo said Tice will soon spend his 3000th day in captivity and his release and return home are "long, long overdue."
The US government has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Tice's release. Earlier this year, his mother, Debra Tice, said she had credible information that her son was still alive, according to media reports.
