Scotland in the World
Friday, November 30, 2007
Aberdeen University has just set up a 'Scotland in the World' Forum to consider our country's global standing and global potential.
I was invited to deliver the inaugural lecture and I was delighted to explain how the Forum will be a major part of the wider National Conversation which is about the kind of country Scotland wishes to be - and the changes that must be made to meet our ambitions.
I talked about independence and interdependence and why this Government looks to Ireland and the Nordic countries - the Arc of Prosperity around us - as working models of what can be achieved in the modern global economy if Scotland had the same powers and freedoms that these countries take for granted.
I said that Scotland's interdependence is a fact. We have a strong economic relationship with the rest of the UK, our EU partners, and beyond.
And, I argued, it is precisely because we live in an interdependent world that independence matters.
The choice for Scotland is clear. We can choose to remain a bit player - unable to advance our interests other than through the UK. Alternatively, as an independent country, we can actively seek responsibility, eager to help shape the great global debates on the environment, on trade, on poverty, on the emergence of new economies.
For me, Scottish independence is not just an opportunity to move Scotland forward, but a chance for Scotland to give something back, to meet our global responsibilities. I want Scotland to be a leader in international conflict resolution, building on the tremendous sense of goodwill towards our nation across the globe.
Scotland is considering its position in a world of close and ever-growing economic interdependence. We benefit greatly from co-operation but that does not obviate the huge economic rewards for countries that are innovative and flexible and pursuing the right economic strategy, and a clear and distinct set of interests.
That is why this Government believes that now, more than ever, Scotland stands to benefit from full independence.
Read the full text of FM's lecture
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