British Foreign Secretary William Hague met pro-democracy Syrian activists in London on Thursday, describing them as exiles from a "brutal regime that has lost all legitimacy."
See AFP’s report here.
It was not the first time Hague had met such activists but the meeting took place amid growing Western condemnation of the crackdown on protesters against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
"President Assad must step aside so that credible reform can begin," Hague also said.
"Syrians from all walks of life and all religious communities have been united in their opposition to the regime's attempts to violently suppress their legitimate aspirations for a better future.
"It is now vital for the many groups that form the Syrian opposition to unite and work together to define a shared vision for the future of Syria."
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said British officials had met several members of the Syrian opposition at various levels and passed on messages "about the need for this to be an inclusive and peaceful process."
She said Britain was "facilitating" opposition groups to engage with each other, adding:
"We believe the transition should be a Syrian-led process and we will respond as appropriate to specific requests for our support."
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