ALEX Salmond's assertion that an independent Scotland would be fast-tracked into membership of the European Union has been "blown out of the water", the No camp has insisted, following an intervention by the Danish Foreign Minister.
Martin Lindegaard declined to be drawn on whether Denmark would support the bid for Scottish independence, stressing that Copenhagen would respect either outcome of the referendum.
But asked about the process of membership, he pointed to the so-called Copenhagen Criteria. These have to be met by all would-be members and cover such issues as democratic institutions, human rights and having a functioning market economy.
Better Together stressed the criteria were set out in Article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union, the route to membership all aspirant members have to use. The Scottish Government insists it could use the fast-track route of Article 48 because, as part of the UK, Scotland has been an effective member of the EU for decades.
Asked about the process, the foreign minister referred to the "quite strict rules" of the Copenhagen Criteria. He said these "would be the same standards and criteria that Scotland in that case should live up to, and it would depend whether Scotland would be able to do that; whether they can get into the European Union".
Asked if that was the right way to proceed in Scotland's case, Mr Lindegaard added: "Of course, that's how we do it and that's how we do it for all countries, who would like to be a member of the European Union."
Last night, Labour's Anne McGuire said: "This is an important intervention and blows out of the water the Nationalist suggestion that getting back into the EU would be plain sailing for a separate Scotland."
The backbencher, who represents Stirling, argued it was clear that if Scotland left the UK, it would need to reapply to join the EU, with the favourable terms and conditions it enjoys today as part of the UK put at risk.
"We now have the Prime Minister of Spain, the Foreign Minister of Spain, the presidents of the European Council and European Commission, and the Foreign Minister of Denmark all saying we would need to reapply to join the EU if we leave the UK. It simply isn't credible for Alex Salmond to claim that everybody is wrong and only he is right."
In response, a spokesman for the First Minister said: "Scotland is already part of the EU; as such, we already meet all the requirements for membership outlined in the Copenhagen Criteria, so we will continue in membership as an independent country. The only threat to Scotland's place in Europe comes from David Cameron's in/out referendum, as Westminster dances to a Ukip tune and flirts with the exit door of the EU."
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