BRUSSELS, September 9 (RIA Novosti) – The former President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, has said an independent Scotland could negotiate continued membership of the European Union in the timescale set out by the pro-independence Scottish Government.
“Done thoroughly and expeditiously an internal enlargement could be negotiated during this interim period between the referendum and the independence of Scotland in 2016,” Cox wrote in an article for The Scotsman newspaper Tuesday.
Responding the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, said in a statement, “This is a significant intervention that reinforces the common-sense position that in the event of a Yes vote, Scotland’s continued membership of the EU is in the interests of both Scotland and the rest of the European Union.”
A referendum on whether Scotland should be an independent country will take place on September 18. Scots will be asked one question, «Should Scotland be an independent country?» If voters back leaving the UK, Scotland could be independent on March 24, 2016.
