EU must not fall into ‘depression’
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says the EU must not fall into "depression and paralysis" after the UK voted to leave the bloc.
He made the comments arriving for an urgent meeting of the six EU founder members to discuss the decision.
They will consider the process and speed of Britain's exit, and are also likely to discuss how to dissuade others from doing the same.
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will step down by October.
The six countries attending the talks in Berlin - Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands - first joined forces in the 1950s and still form the core of the EU.
The first summit of EU leaders with no British representation will be held on Wednesday. The EU has urged the UK to start negotiations to leave quickly.
European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker stressed the "Union of the remaining 27 members will continue".
Global stock markets fell heavily on the news of the so-called "Brexit", where the UK voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU. The value of the pound has also fallen dramatically.
The UK must now invoke Article 50 of the EU Lisbon Treaty, which then allows for two years for withdrawal to be negotiated.
However, Cameron said he preferred to leave negotiations to his successor.
"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 network.
"I would like to get started immediately."
Also on Friday, European Parliament President Martin Schulz said the EU "as a whole was taken as a hostage" by infighting among Cameron's Conservative party.
European Council President Donald Tusk said the "so-called divorce process" would be discussed among all non-UK members on Wednesday, a day after Cameron holds talks with members.
How European powers reacted
German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed "great regret" at the British decision, saying: "This is a blow to Europe and to the European unification process"
French President Francois Hollande said the vote "seriously puts Europe to the test" but called for the EU to push on with reform and investment
Italian PM Matteo Renzi, who will meet Hollande on Saturday, said: "Europe is our house," adding that "the house needs to be renovated, perhaps freshened up"
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the decision showed the UK's unhappiness with migration and security
Greek PM Alexis Tsipras said the vote was "either a wake-up call or the beginning of a dangerous path", adding: "We urgently need a new vision and beginning for a united Europe"
Other leaders, including Polish President Andrzej Duda, said it was crucial that work be done to prevent other countries leaving the EU.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it was inevitable more countries would leave the EU soon if it did not change its path.
Leaders of Eurosceptic parties in France, the Netherlands and Italy quickly demanded referendums in their own countries.
Reacting to the vote, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said "the EU is dying".
But Tusk said this was "not a moment for hysterical reactions".
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