Washington and Damascus Talking About Missing American Journalist
The State Department confirmed that Washington is talking with the government of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad about missing American journalist Austin Tice, a development raising hopes he is alive and could be brought home in the near future.
“We have been in periodic, direct contact with Syrian government officials on consular issues, including the case of Austin Tice,” a State Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Since closing its embassy in Syria in 2012, the United States has relied on the Czech Republic to carry out consular work on its behalf. Czech diplomats, the official said, have been involved in getting information on the welfare and whereabouts of American citizens in Syria, including Tice. “For privacy and security reasons, we cannot provide additional details,” the official said.
see full article at: Foreign Policy – http://atfp.co/1FRIhBB