All About the Legitimacy

Thug regimes and groups value being seen with the established, respectable guys in the suits as much as they value the chance to gain ground without needing to use force:

Hezbollah says it rejected nearly a year of efforts by Britain to establish secret contacts with the Lebanese militant group, insisting instead that any talks be held in public.

If talking was important, being seen talking wouldn't become an objective of the thugs.