Journalist Austin Tice's mother urges US to engage with Syria on son's release

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The mother of Austin Tice, an American journalist who has been detained in Syria for more than a decade, is calling on the US government to engage with Syria and negotiate for his release.

Debra Tice made the plea during a press conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on Tuesday.

“Getting Austin home does not have to change our foreign policy. We can engage with Syria. We can have a discussion. We can negotiate,” said Tice.

Austin Tice was abducted near Damascus, Syria on Aug. 14, 2012, while covering the country’s civil war as a freelance journalist for multiple US news organizations.

Almost 11 years later, he has yet to be released and returned to his hometown of Houston, Texas.

Tice stated that the situation in the Middle East does not have to be a part of her son Austin's return home. She was asked about Oman's role as a mediator and the relations between Syria and some Arab countries.

"We got Brittney Griner home without changing Russian foreign policy," she said. "We get people home without changing foreign policy and it's really important to remember that we can also get Austin home without changing our foreign policy."

Debra Tice is visiting the US capital for meetings with officials from President Joe Biden's administration and also attended the annual White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday.

She stated that her meetings were mainly held in the White House as she believes the State Department to be "exceedingly anti-Syria" and "anti-engagement with Syria".

Tice referenced her meeting with Biden on May 2 of last year and asked if there has been any progress.

"The President gave a very clear directive to get a meeting, listen, find out what they want, and work with them," she said. "I think the impediment is unwillingness to take that listening and turn it into what we're going to discuss with them".

In response to a question about whether she thinks Syria is ready to talk, she said, “Yes, I do feel that way”.

“And I think they are keen to engage and have discussion,” she said.​​​​​​​

On the possibility that a meeting with Syria could be used for propaganda, she said: “I think it's time to let a lot of concerns go.”

“I think it's time to say the conflict in Syria is over and it is time for rapprochement and hailing,” she added. ​​​​​​​