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Britain holding Europe ‘hostage’ - Schulz

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, speaking on the German television station ARD, called Cameron's decision to wait until October to leave the European "scandalous", saying that he was "taking the whole (European) continent hostage".

Vote leave supporters wave Union flags, following the result of the EU referendum, outside Downing Street in London, Britain June 24, 2016.
Vote leave supporters wave Union flags, following the result of the EU referendum, outside Downing Street in London, Britain June 24, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
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“Britons decided yesterday that they want to leave the European Union, so it doesn’t make any sense to wait until October to try to negotiate the terms of their departure,” Juncker said in an interview with Germany’s ARD television station. “I would like to get started immediately.”

Juncker said the EU would pursue a “reasonable approach” in negotiating the separation. “It’s not an amicable divorce, but it was not exactly a tight love affair anyway,” he said.

He added that the EU had hoped Britain would stay but that now it was key to make the separation process as speedy and painless as possible.

"It is not an amicable divorce but it was also not an intimate love affair," he said.

"It is not a good day for Britain and the European Union but we must go on."

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Friday in the wake of the shock referendum outcome that he would resign his office by October and leave negotiations on the so-called "Brexit" to his successor.

Meanwhile, European leaders scheduled a day of meetings aimed at setting a quick timetable for Britain’s exit from the EU.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the EU would weather the shock of the British vote to leave the union as he convened crisis talks.

"I am confident that these countries can also send a message that we won't let anyone take Europe from us," he said heading into a meeting in Berlin of his counterparts from the EU's six founding members.

His French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault urged quick negotiations on Britain's exit from the union, saying that the pressure would be "very strong" on British Prime Minister David Cameron at an EU summit on Tuesday to speed up the process.

 

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