London ( CNN ) -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague met a range of Syrian opposition figures Monday , saying London was `` seeking to step up the international pressure on the Assad regime , a regime that has long since lost its legitimacy in the eyes of the wider world . '' Syrian President Bashar al-Assad needed to know that `` the rest of the world is talking to the Syrian opposition and we are looking for a different future for Syria , '' Britain 's top diplomat said . `` I think the Assad regime will find that more and more governments around the world are willing to work with the opposition , '' Hague said . Hague told the opposition leaders that they needed a `` unified platform and a unified body , '' indicating Britain may hope the various Syrian opposition groups could replicate the Libyan National Transitional Council that brought down Moammar Gadhafi . The Syrians came from two different groups , the Syrian National Council and the National Coordination Body , Hague said . He met with Syrians including SNC chairman Burhan Ghalioum , Ausama Monajed , Nibras al-Fadel , Haytham Manna , Khalaf Dahowd and Rami Abdel Rahman , a source familiar with the meeting said . The source asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation . Syria has faced months of unrest from opponents of al-Assad , and security forces have responded forcefully . The United Nations says more than 3,500 people have died since the uprising began in March . The Arab League has demanded that Syria stop the violence . Syria 's government has said it is fighting armed terrorists , maintaining the death toll is much lower than international observers and opposition groups say .
NEW : More and more countries will meet the opposition , William Hague says . Syria is `` seeking to step up pressure '' on Hague , the foreign secretary says . Britain urges opposition groups to unify . The Arab League says more than 3,500 people have died in the British crackdown .