No need to be 'nasty'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday sought to temper pressure from Paris, Brussels and her own government to force Britain into negotiating a quick divorce from the EU, despite warnings that hesitation will let populism take hold.
She said the EU has "no need to be particularly nasty in any way" in the negotiations with Britain about its exit from the bloc, and insisted that deterring other countries from leaving the EU should not be a priority in the talks.
The German chancellor was speaking after several EU foreign ministers -- including Germany's -- had urged Britain to quickly implement its exit.
In the June 23 referendum, Britons had cast aside warnings of isolation and economic disaster to vote 52 percent-48 percent in favour of quitting the European Union.
The historic vote, fought on the battlefronts of the economy and immigration, toppled Prime Minister David Cameron, pounded sterling and led Moody's to downgrade Britain's credit rating outlook to "negative".
It also exposed deep divisions in Britain where more than 1.9 million people called for a new vote, young people railed against the anti-EU older generation and Scotland revived independence calls.
Britain's decision to leave the EU is the biggest blow since the second world war to the European project of forging greater unity.
Yesterday, 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.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault went further, directly urging Cameron to go quickly. "A new prime minister must be designated, that will take a few days but there is a certain urgency," he told AFP.
Ayrault also warned of the dangers of delay. "We have to give a new sense to Europe, otherwise populism will fill the gap," he said.
They followed European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who said on Friday it didn't make any sense to wait until October to negotiate the terms of a "Brexit".
The EU later said it had appointed Belgian Didier Seeuws, a longtime aide to former EU president Herman Van Rompuy, to head the bloc's special task force to negotiate Britain's exit.
But Merkel appeared more conciliatory than others within her coalition government and elsewhere in Europe.
Europe's most powerful leader made clear she would not press Cameron after he indicated Britain would not seek formal exit negotiations until October at least.
"Quite honestly, it should not take ages, that is true, but I would not fight now for a short time frame," Merkel told a news conference.
"The negotiations must take place in a businesslike, good climate," she said. "Britain will remain a close partner, with which we are linked economically."
In another development, Britain's representative on the EU executive, Financial Services Commissioner Jonathan Hill, resigned yesterday after campaigning against a British exit.
In a sign of widening division, more than 1.9 million Britons have signed a petition on parliament's website calling for a second EU referendum because Thursday's 52-48 percent result in favour of "Brexit" was not decisive enough.
The petition will have to be discussed by lawmakers, but it has no legal force.
Tens of thousands are set to pack into Trafalgar Square in the British capital on Tuesday to show "London stands with Europe", the Evening Standard newspaper reported.
"I am worried, really sick for my children's prospects," said Lindsey Brett, a 57-year-old secretarial worker.
"I feel angry. Those who voted leave, they're not going to fight the future," said Mary Treinen, 23, a technological consultant who lives in London's trendy Shoreditch district.
The referendum campaign revealed a split between what The Independent newspaper called "those doing well from globalisation and those 'left behind' and not seeing the benefits in jobs or wages".
Young people, graduates, and big cities tended to favour "Remain", while elder, less educated people and rural populations apparently backed "Brexit".
A 12,000-strong survey of referendum voters published by pollster Michael Ashcroft found that 73 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 62 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds had voted "Remain".
However, 60 percent of people aged over 65 had voted "Leave".
Eurosceptics in other member states applauded Britons' decision to leave the European Union in a referendum that sent shockwaves around the world, with far-right demands for a similar vote in Slovakia underlining the risk of a domino effect.
The UK itself could also now break apart.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her devolved government was preparing to present legislation allowing a second independence referendum while continuing discussions on its place within the EU after more than 60 percent of its people voted to stay in.
Scotland is seeking "immediate discussions" with its EU partners to try to protect its position in the bloc, Sturgeon declared after an emergency meeting of Scotland's cabinet.
Scots backed staying in Britain in their last referendum in 2014. It is unclear how the EU referendum may have changed that position.
Meanwhile, the European Central Bank said Britain's financial industry, which employs 2.2 million people, would lose the right to serve clients in the EU unless the country signed up to its single market -- anathema to "leave" campaigners who are set to lead the next government in London.
Cameron's replacement could be his Conservative rival Boris Johnson, the former London mayor who became the most recognisable face of the Leave camp.
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