According to an official transcript published by the Kremlin, Putin had the following exchange with the BBC correspondent:
Question: In the United Kingdom, we are facing a referendum this year, where the Scots are going to vote on whether to leave the UK. I know there is a lot of movement around the world for historic old countries to leave other countries, a secessionist mood if you like. I just wonder what message you might have for David Cameron in this very big year for Britain.
Vladimir Putin: This is not our concern; this is an internal British issue. I believe any group of people has a right to self-determination, while in present-day Europe the idea of diluting national sovereignty within the common European framework is somewhat simplified. However, remaining within the framework of a single powerful state has its advantages, and we should keep this in mind. However, I repeat, this is the choice of a given nation in a given historic situation.
- Asked whether he will invite Scotland to join the Customs Union, Vladimir Putin said “That is quite possible”
It can be inferred that if Scotland is threatened with losing its European Union membership status, it can pursue a “plan B” by joining the Customs Union. The Russian-led project of economic integration is often wrongly described as an attempt to revive the USSR. Actually, it is a project that bands together the countries that feel that Bruxelles' vision of economic integration is unfair and gives certain European countries unjustified economic privileges. The Customs Union should not be seen as a project for ex-USSR countries but as a gateway to the world's emerging markets. Vietnam is now negotiating its entry in the Customs Union, while Turkey has expressed official interest in starting such negotiations. India, a huge market with a tremendous potential for growth, is negotiating a free-trade agreement with the Customs Union and so is New Zealand.
If independent Scotland is willing to refocus its economy on growth, get away from overcrowded European markets where Bruxelles' bureaucrats reign supreme and get preferential access to the world's untapped emerging markets, Putin's invitation may be the best solution. If Scotland gains independence, its government should take a long, hard look at the country's economy and take the plunge. History rewards the bold.
Valentin Mândrăşescu
http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_01_29/Scotland-may-be-invited-to-join-the-Customs-Union-Vladimir-Putin-8898/
29/1/14
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Independent Scotland not guaranteed the same EU membership terms – British FM
Britain to release paper on implications of Scottish independence
Σκοτία: Υπεγράφη η συμφωνία για τη διεξαγωγή δημοψηφίσματος
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Independent Scotland must cede powers to keep pound: BoE chief...
ReplyDeleteLONDON: An independent Scotland should be prepared to give up some national sovereignty if it wants to keep the pound, or risk the problems of the eurozone, the governor of the Bank of England said on Wednesday.
On his first visit north of the border since taking office last July, Mark Carney stressed that it was not his place to say whether Scotland should vote yes or no in September's independence referendum.
But he offered a "technocratic assessment" of the factors at play if an independent Scotland were to retain the same currency as the rest of the United Kingdom, as proposed by First Minister Alex Salmond's Scottish National Party (SNP).
In a speech to business leaders following talks with Salmond in Edinburgh, Carney said the problems in the eurozone had indicated the "clear risks" of having a currency union without the right foundations.
"The euro area is now beginning to rectify its institutional shortcomings, but further, very significant steps must be taken to expand the sharing of risks and pooling of fiscal resources," he said.
"In short, a durable, successful currency union requires some ceding of national sovereignty.
"It is likely that similar institutional arrangements would be necessary to support a monetary union between an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK."
The central bank chief stressed that such arrangements were the responsibility of politicians.
"Any arrangement to retain sterling in an independent Scotland would need to be negotiated between the Westminster and Scottish parliaments," Carney said.
"The Bank of England would implement whatever monetary arrangements were put in place."
Salmond's regional government, which proposes to retain the Bank of England as Scotland's central bank and lender of last resort, has stressed the high degree of trade and integration between Scotland and the rest of the UK as the reason why currency union would work.
However, British finance minister George Osborne said last year that currency union would be a "dive into uncharted waters" and warned there was no guarantee that the two sides would be able to agree on the issue..............http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/international/independent-scotland-must/973404.html
29/1/14
David Cameron to plead with Scotland's voters to say no to independence.....
ReplyDeleteSNP condemns 'shameful' attempt to politicise Olympics as PM visits London venue to declare: 'We want you to stay'.
David Cameron will make a heartfelt plea to the people of Scotland on Friday to vote for continued membership of the UK as he issues a strong warning against the dangers of complacency about the results of the referendum in seven months' time.
Amid jitters in the pro-UK camp that opinion polls may be shifting in the direction of independence before the vote on 18 September, the prime minister will visit the scene of Team GB's success at the London 2012 Olympics to declare: "We want you to stay."
Cameron's speech, described by the SNP deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon as a "tawdry bid to use the Olympic Games as a political tool", is designed to change the tone of the Better Together pro-UK campaign which has been criticised for being relentlessly negative...........http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/07/david-cameron-scotland-independence-snp-olympics
7/2/14
Έκκληση Κάμερον για απόρριψη του σκωτσέζικου δημοψηφίσματος....
DeleteΈκκληση στους υπόλοιπους Βρετανούς να πουν στους κατοίκους της Σκωτίας να απορρίψουν την ανεξαρτησία, απηύθυνε ο πρωθυπουργός Ντέιβιντ Κάμερον στην πρώτη σαφή δημόσια τοποθέτησή υπέρ του «όχι» στο σχετικό δημοψήφισμα του Σεπτεμβρίου.
Ο κ. Κάμερον είπε ότι δεν μπορεί να αντέξει να δει τη διάλυση του Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου. «Οι υποστηρικτές της ένωσης έχουν επτά μήνες για να σώσουν την πιο σπουδαία χώρα στην ιστορία».
Σε μια αρκετά συναισθηματικά φορτισμένη ομιλία στο χώρο του Ολυμπιακού Πάρκου στο ανατολικό Λονδίνο, ο Βρετανός πρωθυπουργός αναφέρθηκε στη σκωτσέζικη καταγωγή των προγόνων του και είπε ότι το δημοψήφισμα είναι «προσωπική υπόθεση» γι’ αυτόν.
Ωστόσο, ο Πρώτος Υπουργός της τοπικής κυβέρνησης και ηγέτης του Σκωτσέζικου Εθνικού Κόμματος Άλεξ Σάλμοντ, ο πιο ένθερμος υποστηρικτής της ανεξαρτησίας της Σκωτίας, χαρακτήρισε τον κ. Κάμερον «μεγάλο φοβητσιάρη» λόγω της άρνησης του πρωθυπουργού να τον αντιμετωπίσει σε τηλεοπτικό debate.
Ο κ. Σάλμοντ επανέλαβε την πρόσκλησή του προς τον κ. Κάμερον για την τηλεοπτική αντιπαράθεση επιχειρημάτων πριν από το δημοψήφισμα του Σεπτεμβρίου, «αντί να δίνει το κήρυγμά του στους Σκωτσέζους ψηφοφόρους από τον Όλυμπο».
- See more at: http://www.sigmalive.com/news/international/99170#sthash.wY6eBPwv.dpuf
7/2/14
UK's North Sea oil industry at stake in vote for Scottish independence...
ReplyDeleteBritain's lucrative North Sea oil and gas industry, estimated to be worth up to £200 billion in potential benefits, may be in peril should Scotland vote for independence, David Cameron has warned, campaigning against independence ahead of the referendum.
On Monday, the prime minister is due to hold his first ever Cabinet meeting in Scotland, at Europe's oil and gas hub, Aberdeen. It is only the third time since 1921 that the UK Cabinet will have met in Scotland, with the previous meeting being in 2009 when Gordon Brown took his ministers to Glasgow.
However, this time around, the UK and Scottish cabinets will hold separate meetings, with the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, discussing independence in the Aberdeenshire town of Portlethen. He said on Monday that opinion polls showed the race for independence is tight, according to Reuters.
Scotland's first minister has claimed that North Sea oil and gas reserves would be worth £300,000 for every Scottish resident, if the country votes for independence at the referendum on September 18. He argued that independence presents "an unrivalled opportunity to boost our energy wealth, support employment and grow our economy."
With independence we would have new powers in areas such as energy regulation and the ability to target and apply financial incentives."
However, Mr Salmond was called "the man without a plan."
"Independence is a hugely risky, dangerous and uncertain step and the time has come for him to start being honest with the people of Scotland about the consequences of leaving the UK. Scotland has the best of both worlds as part of the UK. We need to keep it that way," Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael commented last week.
David Cameron has also been repeatedly emphasizing that Scotland benefits while it remains part of the UK...................http://rt.com/news/north-sea-scottish-independence-426/
24/2/14
Scotland is already another country...
ReplyDeleteWestminster's parade of day-trippers fail to grasp that devolution is not a destination but a process.
They don't know whodunnit. But they sure as hell know what he done. By suggesting a post-independence currency union was still on the table, the anonymous coalition mole who spoke to the Guardian on Friday has burrowed deep into the already shaky confidence of Better Together.
Deep enough for the Scotland secretary, Alistair Carmichael, the Lib Dems' Dr No, to warn colleagues that the yes campaign was gathering momentum. You know things are serious when John Major is being winkled out to embark on a tartan charm offensive. Not to mention a brigade of northern English MPs being dispatched across the border to tell Scots they love them really. No really................http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/30/scotland-another-country-westminster-devolution
30/3/14