"The outlook for the UK is uncertainty, upheaval and unpredictability [after the Brexit vote]. In these circumstances it may well be that the option that offers us the greatest certainty, stability and the maximum control over our own destiny is that of independence," Sturgeon said in a speech to public sector organizations, business leaders and charities in Edinburgh.
Sturgeon added that Scotland would continue its cooperation with the European Union, its institutions and member states "to build understanding and support for Scotland's position."
"And I have to say the response we've had so far has been warm and it's been welcoming," Sturgeon said.
The Scottish government has been seeking ways to secure the its place in the European Union after the June 23 referendum, in which Scotland was outvoted and forced, as part of the United Kingdom, to leave the bloc, despite 62 percent of its population backing continued EU membership.
