Scottish independence: Alex Salmond outlines EU potential

Preview and reports of a speech given by the First Minister of Scotland, Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP at the College of Europe, Bruges on the 28 April 2014. The First Minister delivered a keynote speech on EU-Scotland relations and discussed the economic and political value of European integration.

Prior to the First Minister's speech, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague pressed Mr Salmond to confirm whether his bid to quickly join the EU by 'common accord' was supported by any EU member state.

An independent Scotland would be an 'enthusiastic, engaged and committed contributor to European progress', First Minister Alex Salmond said. A possible in/out UK referendum on the EU presented a 'real risk' to Scotland's place in Europe.

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