Italy's Matteo Renzi, UK's May hold talks over Brexit

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi held talks over Brexit with his British counterpart Theresa May here on Wednesday.

Renzi appealed to the British government to set out "a precise timeline" for negotiating its leaving the European Union (EU).

"The Brexit was a decision of the British people, and we respect it, however painful it is," Renzi said at a join press conference after the meeting.

"At the same time, it is a difficult and unprecedented situation which requires much good sense, a precise timeline, and a certain path," he said.

Renzi's words followed those previously expressed by other leaders from EU major member states, and by EU representatives in Brussels, who urged the UK to move fast and clearly in negotiating its departure from the bloc, and to avoid prolonged uncertainty.

Italy would provide "its full cooperation and support" in order to make the UK-EU negotiations as effective as possible, the Italian prime minister added.

On her part, May explained the Brexit would mark Britain's exit from the EU, but not from Europe.

"We will still be part of Europe, and we want to turn the Brexit into a success," she said, adding cooperation with EU member states was crucial to achieve this.

The new British PM explained she had recently chaired the first gathering of a Cabinet committee in charge of preparing "an orderly departure" from the EU.

She added she hoped the economic ties between the two countries would be maintained, and even boosted, recalling that Italy was the UK's eighth largest export market with a bilateral trade worth some 24 billion pounds (31.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2015.

The global threat of terrorism and the migration crisis were also discussed during their meeting in the Italian capital.

Both leaders declared Italy and the UK would keep working together as much as possible on the global issues of mass migration and terrorism.

May urged "a joint action at the EU and at the international level" against the threat of Islamic terrorism, especially when it came to strengthened intelligence cooperation and information exchange, after the recent attacks on European soil.

"Italy must avoid being overcome by anxiety and fear, and we all need a strong answer to the feeling of horror conveyed by terrorism," Renzi stressed.

"Nothing, whether Brexit or any other passage, would change this principle," he said.

Before meeting the Italian prime minister, May held Brexit talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Holland last week, and with her Irish counterpart Enda Kenny on Tuesday. Endit