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Speaking on Sunday, Lammy said: “We want to see a representative government, an inclusive government. We want to see chemical weapons stockpiles secured, and not used, and we want to ensure that there is not continuing violence.<\/p>\n
“For all of those reasons, using all the channels that we have available, and those are diplomatic and of course intelligence-led channels, we seek to deal with HTS where we have to.”<\/p>\n
The diplomatic contact with HTS does not mean the foreign secretary has personally been in touch with the rebel group.<\/p>\n
The UK closed its embassy in Damascus in 2013, two years after the Arab Spring protests began to be brutally suppressed there by the Assad regime. <\/p>\n
Asked whether HTS could be removed from the UK’s list of proscribed terror groups, the foreign secretary said the rebel group remains a proscribed organisation that came out of al-Qaeda. <\/p>\n
“Al-Qaeda is responsible for a tremendous loss of life on British soil,” Lammy said, adding: “We will judge them on their actions, I won’t comment on future proscription but of course we recognise that this is an important moment for Syria.”<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said no decision had been made yet on HTS’s proscription status.<\/p>\n
On the cash pledge to the Middle Eastern country, Lammy said it followed talks on Saturday in Aqaba. <\/p>\n
Hosted by Jordan, delegates from several countries agreed on the importance of a “non-sectarian and representative government”, protecting human rights, unfettered access for humanitarian aid, the safe destruction of chemical weapons and combatting terrorism.<\/p>\n
The talks were attended by the US, France, Germany, the Arab Contact Group, Bahrain, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the EU and UN.<\/p>\n
HTS was not present at the meeting in Jordan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Foreign](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/df65\/live\/f484bad0-bb03-11ef-aff0-072ce821b6ab.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/span>UK Pool<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n