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Europe leaders say UK vote gamble could complicate Brexit

The EU's point man on Brexit talks, said discussions on Britain's exit should only start when London was properly prepared.

The result of the British election has thrown the country's planned Brexit negotiations into disarray

Here is a roundup of the reaction from across Europe to the shock election result:

'Talks when ready'

Michel Barnier, the EU's point man on Brexit talks, said discussions on Britain's exit should only start when London was properly prepared.

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"Brexit negotiations should start when UK is ready; timetable and EU positions are clear. Let's put our minds together on striking a deal," Barnier, who called last month for a June 19 start date for talks, said on Twitter.

EU President Donald Tusk urged Britain not to let the hung parliament delay negotiations.

"We don't know when Brexit talks start. We know when they must end. Do your best to avoid a 'no deal' as result of 'no negotiations'," he tweeted.

'Lost her bet'

"Mrs May, who was supposed to emerge strengthened, lost her bet and is therefore in a less than clear situation because the truth is that we don't really know what the governing situation is this morning," EU Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici told French radio Europe 1.

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"As far as the EU is concerned, we are ready to open negotiations" on Britain's exit from the EU, he added.

Asked whether the Brexit talks could open as soon as the planned June 19 date, he said: "Let's not rush things but either way, we are ready."

'Weak negotiating partner'

"We need a government that is capable of action, which can negotiate Britain's exit... the British need to negotiate their exit but with a weak negotiating partner, there is a danger that the talks are bad for both parties," EU budget commissioner Guenther Oettinger told German radio.

Oettinger said the EU "stands ready" for Brexit talks, "but the next few hours or days will indicate if the other negotiating party can even begin talks because without a government, there can be no negotiations."

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'The people have spoken'

"The British have spoken, they have voted, and have given the Conservative party a majority, albeit a simple majority, which is something of a surprise," French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told Europe 1 radio.

But he added: "I don't think we should read these results as calling into question the stance on Brexit which was clearly expressed by the British people."

He said the election "had relatively little to do with Brexit and far more to do with domestic issues, for example linked to security" following the terror attacks in Manchester and London.

'Wait and see'

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"The British people have chosen. What the new set-up means for #Brexit we will have to wait and see," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a tweet.

"The Netherlands is ready for cooperation."

'Tip of the iceberg'

Norway's foreign minister, whose country twice voted against joining the EU but has access to the bloc's single market, said Brexit talks would be "harder than we hoped" after Britain's result.

"It's going to be difficult for Britain as I believe we've only seen the tip of the iceberg concerning the difficulties linked with leaving the EU," Borge Brende told local media.

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Sweden's foreign minister Margot Wallstrom told the TT news agency that "it remains to be seen how the outcome of the election will affect Brexit negotiations".

'The real winner'

"I am happy @Jeremy Corbyn has managed to remarkably boost the Labour Party's position. He is the actual winner of the early vote in Britain," Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, a Social Democrat, said on Twitter.

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, from the same party, tweeted: "I believe it will be possible... to finally start talks about Britain's exit from the EU after many a postponement. The rest of the EU has been waiting for Britain in suspense for various reasons for a year."

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