A senior Spanish MEP has voiced doubts that his country would support an independent Scotland's membership of the European Union.

Alejo Vidal-Quadras, European Parliament vice president and a Catalan MEP who opposes that region's independence, said that Spain along with France "will surely not" accept an independent Scotland, and the UK will "probably not" accept it either.

He also suggested that any negotiation around membership would take much longer than the Scottish Government suggests and accused Scottish ministers of lying over the need for Border controls with England.

Scottish ministers insist negotiations, including on opt-outs such as the euro and free travel zone, will be completed by 2016.

However, speaking in Strasbourg, Mr Quadras described that timescale as "pure fantasy" and denounced hopes of securing the opt-outs as "a dream".

When asked if states would accept an independent Scotland, he said: "France and Spain: surely not. The UK: probably not. Don't forget Spain has not yet recognised Kosovo."

"The most accepted opinion by the very experienced jurists of Europe is that legally the new state is not automatically a new EU member state but should start the long and cumbersome procedure of membership as a candidate."

He said the SNP were "not telling the truth to the Scottish people" on the EU's requirement for Border controls with England.

He said: "If we make a big effort of imagination and imagine a Scotland separated from the UK and a member of the EU, and Scotland is in Schengen (a passport free travel area) and the UK is not, then there will of course be a border between both countries, with border controls and everything."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish and UK Governments have agreed the process by which independence would be achieved and there is no question of the UK failing to respect the democratic right of the Scottish people to choose their future."

He said there was no mechanism to remove EU citizenship from Scots, that Scotland would keep the pound, and would stay part of the common travel area with the UK and Ireland, which predates Schengen and ensures passport free travel within the British Isles.

He added: "The Scottish Government's proposed 18-month transition timescale to independence has been described as 'realistic' by one of the UK Government's own chosen experts."

Scottish Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon said: "These comments show just how difficult negotiations could be, and any one of the other member states could pull the plug during talks."

Scottish Labour MEP Catherine Stihler said: "Quadras's statement that France, Spain, and in fact the UK, would not accept an independent Scotland into the EU is a devastating blow to the SNP's grand plan."