Daily Times

LONDON: European powers demanded a quick divorce Saturday as Britain’s seismic vote to abandon the EU sparked bitter break-up rows at home and abroad. Britons had cast aside warnings of isolation and economic disaster to vote 52 percent-48 percent in favour of quitting the European Union in the June 23 referendum. Spurned European powers meanwhile showed exasperation at Cameron’s decision to stay on until as late as October before letting a successor take the helm and launch EU exit negotiations. The six original EU members – Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg – held an emergency meeting in Berlin to grapple with the first defection of the bloc’s 60-year history. “We join together in saying that this process must begin as soon as possible so we don’t end up in an extended limbo period,” said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.