Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's meeting with the President of the European Commission signals "a very significant shift" in Scotland's relationship with Europe, according to her predecessor who was snubbed in 2014.
Ms Sturgeon said she received "a very sympathetic response" from European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker when she outlined Scotland's desire to Remain in the EU despite the UK vote to Leave on June 23.
Former first minister Alex Salmond recalled how he "had the door shut" on him by former EC president Jose Manuel Barroso when he sought talks on keeping an independent Scotland in the EU in 2014.
READ MORE: Scotland will become an independent country after shock Brexit result, Alex Salmond predicts
He also suggested the people of Scotland may soon face "the choice between Europe and London" in a second independence referendum.
Speaking on LBC Radio, Mr Salmond said: "The Juncker thing is very significant.
"I say this because I had the door shut on me by Barroso in 2013 and 2014, and the fact that Juncker is showing Nicola Sturgeon an open door - and that's the phrase of his spokesperson - shows that we are now night and day from the position that we were in 2013.
"She is suggesting that the importance is to establish the negotiating right that keeps Scotland in the EU.
READ MORE: Scotland will become an independent country after shock Brexit result, Alex Salmond predicts
"Some people argue that Denmark has already done that. Why? Because the Kingdom of Denmark consists of three territories: the Danish mainland, the Faroes and Greenland.
"The issue is Article 48 (which permits amendments to the Lisbon Treaty) might give you the flexibility to do that.
"Nicola Sturgeon is doing the right thing. She is scoping it out and saying: what does it take to establish and maintain Scotland's position in the EU that Scotland voted for?
"Now, if the end result of that is the only way that you can do it is by Scotland becomes an independent country, that is when you are in the territory of a new independence referendum."
READ MORE: Scotland will become an independent country after shock Brexit result, Alex Salmond predicts
He added: "The choice that people in Scotland potentially have to make in the next independence referendum may be between Europe and London - the European Union or the British union.
"It's quite interesting. Obviously there have been opinion polls this week all showing support for independence, but opinion polls have been well discredited these days, so what I would be more interested in is the movement of opinion-formers rather than opinion polls.
"There has been a whole procession of people who were against independence in 2014 who have said 'if it's a choice between Europe and London, I choose Europe'.
"In fact, one of my predecessors Henry McLeish, a former first minister, is in exactly that position.
"There does seem to be a genuine movement of opinion and if that is the choice, Scotland might well choose Europe."
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