 "EU seeks quick divorce")
The European Union's founding members increased pressure on the UK to leave the bloc as soon as possible following the stunning referendum as Scotland accelerated plans to take another run at independence.
Six EU foreign ministers said in Berlin that the bloc needs to move on and avoid a political vacuum. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he doesn't expect "an amicable divorce".
"We now have to open the possibility for dealing with Europe's future," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after hosting talks with his colleagues from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg in Berlin on Saturday.
"That is why we jointly say: This process should start as soon as possible."
The aftershocks of the referendum are already beginning to ricochet through Europe and are reshaping the UK's political landscape a day after Prime Minister David Cameron announced his intention to resign. Expressing shock about the British vote to leave the UK, Steinmeier told reporters it's more urgent than ever for the EU to agree on ways to boost jobs and growth.
Germany called the meeting to signal that show the EU can respond quickly to the loss of the UK, yet no immediate proposals emerged from the talks and differences of approach to the exit talks were apparent.
"We demand that the 27 other member countries also get respect" from the UK, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in Berlin. "That's one of the reasons we came to Berlin today."
In a sign of how the UK's membership of the EU is already heading into limbo status, Jonathan Hill, Britain's representative on the European Commission, said he will resign. "I don't believe it is right that I should carry on as the British commissioner as though nothing had happened," he said in an e-mailed statement. Cameron will now have to name a replacement.
In the UK, politicians and investors are still coming to terms with the result. Moody's Investors Service lowered its outlook on Britain to negative from stable last night, referring to "heightened uncertainty" as the country begins the long process of withdrawing from the EU.
The period of uncertainty risks damaging economies far beyond Britain's shores and European Central Bank policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau joined the clamour for haste. Villeroy delivered a warning to Britain over the City of London financial centre which handles trillions of euros of business through its traders and clearing houses even though it lies outside the ECB's jurisdiction.
That was at risk, including the "passport" arrangement under Europe's single market rules which allow London banks to do business with clients in the euro zone, even though Britain never joined the common currency. "If tomorrow Britain is not part of the single market, the City cannot keep this European passport, and clearing houses cannot be located in London either," he said. The only way around this was for Britain to follow the example of Norway, which lies outside the EU but has joined the single market. This means signing up to the rules, including the free movement of workers - likely to be taboo in Britain where the "leave" camp promised to control immigration from the EU, including huge numbers from the poorer eastern member states such as Poland.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reiterated that she is pressing ahead with plans to prepare a second independence referendum. She also said that she will be seeking talks with European leaders and EU institutions about ways of continuing Scotland's relationship with the bloc.
The question of EU membership is a particularly potent one in Scotland after it became a major issue in the 2014 independence campaign, with Cameron arguing that only a vote to stay in the UK could guarantee ongoing membership in the bloc.
"We are determined to act decisively, but in a way that builds unity across Scotland about the way forward," Sturgeon said after a meeting of her cabinet. "We will seek to enter into immediate discussions with EU institutions and EU member states to explore all possible options to protect Scotland's place in the EU."
Six EU foreign ministers said in Berlin that the bloc needs to move on and avoid a political vacuum. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he doesn't expect "an amicable divorce".
"We now have to open the possibility for dealing with Europe's future," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after hosting talks with his colleagues from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg in Berlin on Saturday.
"That is why we jointly say: This process should start as soon as possible."
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The aftershocks of the referendum are already beginning to ricochet through Europe and are reshaping the UK's political landscape a day after Prime Minister David Cameron announced his intention to resign. Expressing shock about the British vote to leave the UK, Steinmeier told reporters it's more urgent than ever for the EU to agree on ways to boost jobs and growth.
Germany called the meeting to signal that show the EU can respond quickly to the loss of the UK, yet no immediate proposals emerged from the talks and differences of approach to the exit talks were apparent.
"We demand that the 27 other member countries also get respect" from the UK, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said in Berlin. "That's one of the reasons we came to Berlin today."
In a sign of how the UK's membership of the EU is already heading into limbo status, Jonathan Hill, Britain's representative on the European Commission, said he will resign. "I don't believe it is right that I should carry on as the British commissioner as though nothing had happened," he said in an e-mailed statement. Cameron will now have to name a replacement.
In the UK, politicians and investors are still coming to terms with the result. Moody's Investors Service lowered its outlook on Britain to negative from stable last night, referring to "heightened uncertainty" as the country begins the long process of withdrawing from the EU.
The period of uncertainty risks damaging economies far beyond Britain's shores and European Central Bank policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau joined the clamour for haste. Villeroy delivered a warning to Britain over the City of London financial centre which handles trillions of euros of business through its traders and clearing houses even though it lies outside the ECB's jurisdiction.
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That was at risk, including the "passport" arrangement under Europe's single market rules which allow London banks to do business with clients in the euro zone, even though Britain never joined the common currency. "If tomorrow Britain is not part of the single market, the City cannot keep this European passport, and clearing houses cannot be located in London either," he said. The only way around this was for Britain to follow the example of Norway, which lies outside the EU but has joined the single market. This means signing up to the rules, including the free movement of workers - likely to be taboo in Britain where the "leave" camp promised to control immigration from the EU, including huge numbers from the poorer eastern member states such as Poland.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reiterated that she is pressing ahead with plans to prepare a second independence referendum. She also said that she will be seeking talks with European leaders and EU institutions about ways of continuing Scotland's relationship with the bloc.
The question of EU membership is a particularly potent one in Scotland after it became a major issue in the 2014 independence campaign, with Cameron arguing that only a vote to stay in the UK could guarantee ongoing membership in the bloc.
"We are determined to act decisively, but in a way that builds unity across Scotland about the way forward," Sturgeon said after a meeting of her cabinet. "We will seek to enter into immediate discussions with EU institutions and EU member states to explore all possible options to protect Scotland's place in the EU."