Scots’ EU status

Your editorial, “Salmond should admit difficulties of EU status” (29 November), misses the point. You say that “numerous voices have been raised in support of the premise that a region choosing to secede from a member state
automatically ceases to be part of the EU”.

All the voices you subsequently quote refer specifically to the secession of a territory or region from a member state. But that is manifestly not the position of Scotland vis-à-vis the United Kingdom.

The Yes campaign is not seeking the secession of Scotland from the UK. It seeks the dissolution of the union that created the UK.

The fact is there is no precedent for this within the EU treaty rules. Should Scotland be regarded as a new country having to re-apply for membership, then so should England (with Wales and Northern Ireland).

What I find disturbing is the relish with which the Better 
Together campaign embraces any statement, however misguided, from a European leader that seeks to do Scotland down.

The question that should be posed to the European Commission is this: had Czechoslovakia been a member of the EU
would the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been regarded as new countries having to reapply for membership or would they both have been regarded as 
successor states?

(REV) ARCHIE BLACK

Elm Park

Inverness

In all the argument about whether or not an independent Scotland would be admitted into the EU, the eurosceptic voice is silent.

Maybe it’s just me, but being able to leave the EU, never to 
return, would be the single
reason I would ever vote for independence.

Andrew Peters

Fleming Road

Livingston

In the article, “Spanish blow to Salmond’s Europe vision” (28 November), Tom Peterkin rightly implies that Alistair Darling, Ruth Davidson and others are of the view that Scotland would be kicked out of the EU and have to completely renegotiate Scotland’s entry.

Both have three questions to answer. The first question is this: the day following Scotland’s expulsion, would French, Spanish and fisherman of other EU 
nationalities be able to fish legally in Scottish waters? If not, would it not be in their interests to have a negotiated arrangement in place prior to independence?

Given their livelihoods will be at stake, do they seriously believe that fishermen of EU countries will not be urging their respective governments to negotiate?

It is probably too much to hope for a reply to these questions. The silence will be deafening. In this game of political poker, it would appear Mr Salmond still has some cards to play and may not be entirely without allies in other EU countries.

George Mossman

Letham

Fife