Alex Orr (Letters, 8 October) contrives to imply that whether an independent Scotland would automatically become a member of the European Union is merely a matter of personal opinion. But there is such a thing as informed opinion.
Lord Kerr, who has been at the heart of the EU during its most crucial developments and is currently vice-president of the European Policy Centre in Brussels, told The Scotsman (your report, 27 September) that an independent Scotland would have to
apply to become a member state. This is in line with the advice of European commissioner Joe Borg, reported in your pages a year ago, and the commission is the official guardian of the treaties.
It was through a treaty that we joined the then EEC, and the SNP's position with regard to EU membership is based on its interpretation of article 34 (1) of the 1969 Vienna Convention on Succession of States in Respect of Treaties, which would suggest Scottish inheritance of all UK treaties including those relating to the EU. But the Vienna Convention has been ratified by neither the UK nor the EU and was, moreover, followed by the judgment of the International Law Commission that seceding countries do not automatically succeed to membership of international organisations.
That a requirement for Scotland to apply for EU membership would oblige the remaining nine-tenths of the UK to reapply is a novel idea and should be taken up with the commission. Does Mr Orr truly believe Brussels would countenance a hiatus in its funding occasioned by the loss of its second largest financial contributor?
MARY ROLLS
Westerkirk
Langholm, Dumfriesshire The global economic collapse (which can be rectified) is hiding something likely to cause far greater lasting harm to Europe, namely the scheduled signing of the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by Gordon Brown and the other EU "leaders" this month.
This, in effect, creates a vast EU state and transfers most remaining law-making and controls to it. Most worrying, it also gives that state the power to produce future laws without needing the consent of parliaments of member countries.
There is no stopping these shady EU politicians and they will keep on relentlessly creating their vast European empire, destroying our economy and controlling every aspect of our lives.
JOHN G GREER-SPENCER
Touch Wards
Dunfermline, FifeThe full article contains 392 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
