Scottish independence: Salmond sovereignty vision

AN INDEPENDENT Scotland would have significant areas of “shared sovereignty” with other countries and international bodies, Alex Salmond said last night.

First Minister Alex Salmond. Picture: Getty

The First Minister also indicated it may take years to fully cut the constitutional cord with the rest of the UK, although a new Scottish state will declare independence within 18 months of a Yes vote under SNP proposals.

Mr Salmond was taking part in a question-and-answer session with the broadcaster James Naughtie in Glasgow.

The Scottish Government already wants to share the pound with the UK as part of a monetary union and has also indicated that some sharing of military bases and foreign embassies could be agreed if Scots vote Yes.

Mr Salmond said: “People who see the advantages of being an independent country in the modern world should not object to the sharing of sovereignty in various aspects.

“The key thing about that is that you’ve got the sovereignty to share – it’s your decision that you are better to share sovereignty in certain things.”

“Most people in Scotland regardless of their view – in terms of the politics or the political parties in Scotland – they’re comfortable with that idea. We live in a world where it’s fundamentally different being an independent country in the 21st century than it was even in the 20th century.” He pointed to countries like Denmark which pegs its currency to the euro and “shares sovereignty over a whole range of things”.

But he added: “As we understand it in the modern world, Denmark is an independent state and proud to be an independent state.”

Some shared areas of sovereignty does not undermine the idea of independence, the First Minister added, pointing to the 60 or so countries which founded the United Nations compared with the 195 members it now has.

External affairs minister Humza Yousaf said this week it could take up to seven years to extricate Scotland’s international development obligations from the UK.