Hague Welcomes Report On Independent Scotland

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has welcomed a report carried out by the Foreign Affairs Committee, which found that an independent Scotland would have to apply for membership of NATO, the EU and the UN.

The Committee announced its inquiry into 'the foreign policy implications of and for a separate Scotland' on 18 July 2012.

The report says that an independent Scotland would receive no help from the UK government to negotiate on their behalf, as is the case currently.

William Hague said: "I very much welcome the report by the Foreign Affairs Committee. It has reached a conclusion similar to that of the independent legal advice commissioned and published by the UK Government on 11 February, namely that in the event of Scottish independence the remainder of the UK continues in its membership of international organisations, including the EU, NATO and the UN and that Scotland, as a new state, would have to apply for membership of key international organisations it wished to join."

Mr Hague said the Scottish government had "yet to present the facts of what Scottish independence would mean in practise for the people of Scotland, including the costs of establishing diplomatic and other networks.

"The Scottish Government continues to present unfounded assertions as incontrovertible facts and conclusions, when the truth of the matter is very different," he said.

The Foreign Secretary emphasised the UK government's position that the UK and Scotland are better off when united.

Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore said the report had “identified further missing pieces in the independence jigsaw.

"Scotland’s businesses and citizens already benefit significantly from the UK’s extensive consular, diplomatic, intelligence and trade networks around the globe," he said.

"The Scottish Government has set the clock ticking on the independence referendum. On issues such as the costs for establishing a diplomatic network, EU Membership, a currency union and on pensions the unanswered questions are mounting up and they are running out of time – they need to come clean on costs and implications of such a huge change, and meet the Committee’s demand for clarity."

(IT/CD)