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Obama on Brexit: UK and EU to Remain 'Indispensable Partners' of US

© AP PhotoUS President Barack Obama, right, stands alongside British Prime Minister David Cameron
US President Barack Obama, right, stands alongside British Prime Minister David Cameron - Sputnik International
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Speaking in California, US President Barack Obama stressed that Washington remains committed to both the UK and Europe, in the wake of the Brexit referendum.

"The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision," Obama said, speaking during an entrepreneurship summit at Stanford University, in Palo Alto.

Vote leave supporters stand outside Downing Street in London, Britain June 24, 2016 after Britain voted to leave the European Union - Sputnik International
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"The special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is enduring, and the United Kingdom’s membership in NATO remains a vital cornerstone of US foreign, security, and economic policy."

Having campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union, however, Obama stressed that the US would remain committed to its European allies.

"[The EU] has done so much to promote stability, stimulate economic growth, and foster the spread of democratic values and ideals across the continent and beyond," he said.

"The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the world."

On Thursday, the United Kingdom held a referendum to determine whether the country would remain a part of the EU bloc. The results of the referendum, revealed on Friday, saw the Leave campaign victorious, with nearly 52% of the votes.

British Prime Minister David Cameron turns to leave after making a statement to the media outside 10 Downing Street in London on February 20 , 2016. - Sputnik International
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The decision prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to announce his resignation.

The outcome of the vote surprised many.

"I don’t think that anyone in their right mind would have thought that we could potentially leave the EU," political journalist Shebab Khan told Sputnik.

"Over the past couple of weeks we’ve seen a continual decline in the markets, sort of an indication that Britain is likely to suffer if Brexit were to occur, so the fact that this has happened has sort of taken everybody by surprise."

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