BERLIN (REUTERS) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he wanted to begin negotiating Britain's departure from the European Union, and there was no reason to wait until October, when British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will resign.

"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 station.

"I would like to get started immediately."

Juncker said the EU would pursue a "reasonable approach" in negotiating the separation.

"It's not an amicable divorce, but it was not exactly a tight love affair anyway," he said.