Britain does not fight for the “territorial integrity”
In a week, the independence referendum will be held in Scotland, which is initiated in 2007 by the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, Head of the Scottish National Party gaining the majority seats in the parliament. The recent sociological poll shows that the number of independence supporters is a little more than of the opponents’. Such result was recorded for the first time. According to previous polls, the number of supporters to stay in the membership of Britain was more. The commentators explain it by the fact that Salmond’s party has started working more actively with the youth.
Earlier, the Scottish Parliament passed a law that the age limit to take part in the referendum will be 16 and not 18. Well, it is clear that young people are more “hotheaded”. The independence supporters say that Scotland has enough energy sources and useful minerals to make the country perfectly self-sufficient. The Government of Britain says, you cannot keep the country with your Scottish “Jermuk” or even whiskey. The Great Britain, according to its Prime Minister, David Cameron, is one of the world’s most successful markets, and the Scottish-English trade is two times higher than the Scottish trade with any other country. The EU also warns that the independent Scotland would have economic problems; particularly the number of unemployment would grow.
According to proponents of this viewpoint, Scotland already has a very wide autonomy (which is true), and the state independence would only harm the country. The European Commission President, Manuel Barroso, also adds to it that Scotland would hardly be accepted to the EU for the simple reason that a member of the Union is made based on the consensus, and there are many countries in the EU (e.g., Spain), who would not encourage “separatism” for obvious reasons. Major local business communities, athletes and personally Harry Potter’s “godmother,” writer Joan Rowling, are against separation of Scotland.
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It should be noted that Salmond’s government sentiments are not particularly a “Jermuk-like”. Even if “yes” is said to the Scottish independence referendum, the pounds as national currency will be preserved here, and the Bank of England will preserve its functions of the central bank. In short, the parties are trying to convince each other and the people of Scotland of what is more beneficial for them. I want to pay a special attention to the long-term nature of the process. It actually started 7 years ago, and if “yes” is said to the referendum, then another 4 years is envisaged for the final “separation”. London does not obstacle the referendum, it will accept the results as they are, it does not and will not fight for “Great Britain’s territorial integrity” neither by force, nor at the political – diplomatic level, it will not sought for the adoption of this “integrity” by all states and international organizations. Well, if, in 2007, Scottish people were killed, burned, raped and deported in London and other British cities, then it is very likely that within a few months, Scotland would be declared a “Republic of Mountainous Scotland.” Of course, people were killed and burned in Britain as well, but it was some 5-6 centuries ago. Once, when the “Åland” option for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement was discussed, the then president of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arkadi Ghukasyan, jokingly said. “We would not also be against having a high level of autonomy in the membership of Finland.”
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
