The Spanish government will not block an independent Scotland's entry into the European Union, according to Spain's top diplomat in Scotland.
Miguel Angel Vecino Quintana, the Spanish Consul General in Edinburgh, set out his country's stance 'clearly and unequivocally' in a letter copied to Scottish Government civil servants.
Quintana also emphasised the country's consistent policy not to veto an independent Scotland membership.
He also stressed that an independent Scotland would not have to join a queue in order to become a full EU member.
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Our sister paper The National obtained the letter following a freedom of information request made to the Scottish government.
It is understood a letter was addressed to a non-editorial executive at The Herald as opposed to the usual channels for publication. The Herald had previously had run a story on comments made by Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons on April 16.
The Herald reported that Pons, of the centre-right Partido Popular (PP) said his party 'would veto an independent Scotland from directly entering EU before Brexit'.
His comments and the article prompted Quintana to write to a senior director with a statement regarding the government's position.
He began: “I have read today 16 April in your newspaper, an article concerning a statement made by a member of the Spanish Conservative Party Mr Esteban Gonzalez Pons affirming that his party will block the entry of an independent Scotland into the European Union.
“In this regard, I would like to make the following points: “1. The Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Joseph Borrell has recently declared that Spain will not block Scotland’s entry into the European Union if independence is legally achieved and such has always been the intention of the Spanish Government.
“2. The Spanish Government has not and never will intervene in the internal affairs of the United Kingdom or any other state and expects the same reciprocal attitude.
“3. Entry into the European Union does not depend at all in waiting in a queue like waiting in a shop for your turn to arrive, as stated by the former Conservative MP Gonzalez Pons. The European Union is joined if the economic and political conditions required by all the treaties that regulate it are fulfilled.
“Therefore, Mr Director, I would like to make it very clear that Mr Gonzalez Pons’ statement is his and his party’s exclusive responsibility and not the Spanish Government’s at all.”
Read the full story in The National HERE.
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