Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – At First Minister’s questions, Alex Salmond reiterated that Scotland would have to negotiate entry to the European Union if Scots decide to vote to leave the UK.
Mr Salmond also said that he believed it was imperative to let the people of Scotland see the full advantages of Scotland being a member of the EU in its own right. I agree, in so much that it is important that Scots know exactly what they are voting for in the referendum.
So when will the SNP government begin the negotiations with EU members on Scotland’s entry? Surely this must be done before they can publish the full details in the white paper next year?
Scots should be able to go to the polls in full knowledge of which of the UK opt-outs Scotland has managed to keep, if Scotland will keep UK rebate, will we have to sign up to the Schengen agreement, and when might Scotland have to join the euro?
All these key issues will be firmly on the table in the negotiation that Mr Salmond admits we would need to have with the EU.
The sooner he starts negotiations with European authorities the better for people who want answers to very important questions before the referendum.
Waiting until after the vote is not good enough.
George Lyon.Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland.
No change on independence
Sir, – Much news coverage has been devoted to whether an independent Scotland would automatically be part of the European Union or would have to negotiate its entry (September 13).
Many EU experts and academics, such as Emile Noel, Secretary General of the European Commission, and European Court of Justice judge, Lord Mackenzie-Stuart, have already confirmed that Scotland is part of the territory of the European Union and the people of Scotland are citizens of the EU there is no provision for either of these circumstances to change upon independence.
Both Scotland and what remains of the UK will both be successor states, with exactly the same status within the EU, not accession countries.
And if the unionists want to argue that Scotland would not continue to be a member, neither would what is left of the UK, as independence would lead to the creation of two new states, both in the same legal boat.
In addition to this there is now a new clause as a result of the Lisbon Treaty, conveniently forgotten by unionists, that requires negotiation for a member state to cease to be in the EU.
We know from the Greenland precedent that negotiation is also required for part of a member state to withdraw. Greenland became a member of the European Community in 1973 when Demark joined, despite the fact that it opposed membership.
A referendum was held in Greenland in 1982, following home rule, which saw a majority vote in favour of withdrawal. This formal withdrawal took place in 1985 and was enacted through the Greenland Treaty.
Despite unionist scaremongering, all the evidence points to the fact that an independent Scotland will remain an integral part of the European Union and will not have to re-apply for EU membership.
Alex Orr.77 Leamington Terrace,Edinburgh.
SNP owe it to electorate
Sir, – To Councillor Neale Harvey (Courier, September 13) I would say, ”It’s all about money,” to paraphrase Bill Clinton.
He omits to tell us precisely what the great difference independence is going to make to the Scottish people on which no price can be placed.
Can it be ”our manifest destiny”, ”our rightful place in the community of nations”, and other meaningless soundbites so beloved of Nationalist politicians when they can’t say how independence is to be financed?
The SNP owe it to the Scottish electorate to tell them how independence is going to affect them financially and to their own supporters who are increasingly unable to defend their party’s policies in everyday discussions in the workplace and the pub.
Can it be because they don’t know?
George Dobbie.51 Airlie Street,Alyth.
Others must be responsible
Sir, – Those of us who can remember the 1950s will recall atmospheric pollution on a grand scale in Britain.
Smoke and fog that combined to block all vision, and when it rained, it rained dilute sulphuric acid.
We have undoubtedly cleaned up since then. A huge act of environmental responsibility.
Countries such as China are now in the position that we were in the 1950s, so they should now clean up as we did.
It is surely not ourresponsibility to compensate for their industrial pollution?
And if CO2 is caused by excessive population, we could ask African countries to cut back on family size.
Many countries have done this quite successfully.
How simple things are when logic is applied!
Malcolm Parkin.15 Gamekeepers Road,Kinnesswood,Kinross.