David Cameron says 'Britain is leaving EU but not turning its back on Europe'

The outgoing Prime Minister says he wants Britain to have as close an economic relationship as possible with the EU

David Cameron said his EU partners 'universally respected' the British people's decision (EPA)

David Cameron has said Britain will not "turn its back on Europe" even though it has voted to leave the European Union.

The outgoing Prime Minister addressed reporters in Brussels at ahead of an EU summit for what he said was "likely to be the final time".

He said Britain and Europe should "seek the closest possible relations over trade, over cooperation, over security".

"While Britain is leaving the European Union, it will not, it should not, and in my view it won’t, turn its back on Europe".

Mr Cameron said there was "universal respect" for the decision during his dinner with the other 27 EU leaders.

"This decision will be carried through in Britain and will be carried through here in the European Union.

"But of course the tone of the meeting was one of sadness and regret. Our partners in the European Union are genuinely sad that we are planning to leave this organisation", he explained.

He also moved to reassure people in the UK that the country will remain a "full, paying member until the point at which we leave".

Leaving the stage: Mr Cameron says it is likely that this is his final attendance at the European Council (EPA)

Mr Cameron said he was "personally sad" that Britain had opted to leave after he "poured his heart and soul into making sure Britain remained inside a reformed European Union." But he stressed it is "impossible to have all the benefits of membership without all the costs of membership and that is something the next British Government is going to have to think through very carefully".

"I am a democrat and I do regret the outcome, but I don't regret holding the referendum," he added.

Answering questions from journalists, he said many people in the EU regarded the single market as the freedom movement of "goods, service, people and capital," but people in Britain tended to view them separately.

He said: “I think people recognised the strength of the economic case for staying, but there was a very great concern about the movement of people and immigration, and I think that is coupled with a concern about the issues of sovereignty and the absence of control there has been.

Mr Cameron revealed there was "no clamour" during the dinner for Britain to immediately trigger the Article 50 clause to begin formal negotiations within the EU. “Whatever you may have read or seen about a clamour for Britain to trigger Article 50 without delay that was absolutely not the mood of the meeting. That was not what a clear majority of my colleagues and partners want to happen. Everyone wants to see a clear model for what is going to happen.

"That is work that I can start as prime minister today with the new unit we are setting up in Whitehall.

"We are examining all the different options and possibilities in a neutral way but it will be for the next British prime minister, the next British Cabinet to decide the right approach to take and the right outcome to negotiate."

Mr Cameron announced his intention to stand down as prime minister after a Conservative leadership contest in the autumn following the shock result which saw the Leave camp win 51.9 per cent of the vote.

He said the Brexit negotiations would be carried out under his successor - widely tipped to be either former Mayor of London Boris Johnson or Home Secretary Theresa May.