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In gaining their independence the Scots would stir antagonist feelings in England and give English extremists enough pretexts to launch violent anti-Scottish campaigns. In addition, such eventuality would create havoc in the rest of Europe as certain regions would be tempted to follow Scotland's example. The Basques, the Flemish, the Bavarians, the Catalans and other ethnic groups in Northern Italy or in France might in turn press for independence and break the unity of Europe. As a result Europe might be confronted to a problem identical with that affecting Yugoslavia, following its partition which resulted in wars in Bosnia and in the Kosovo region.

The Scottish National Party, which has been campaigning for the independence of Scotland, claims that the country's wealth has long been diverted by England. Such assertion does not take into account the fact that there are probably more Scots living and working in England now.

The SNP's goal, at a time when most European countries are trying to establish a global entity which would in the end give a European identity to all their populations, goes utterly against the fundamental idea of Europe's unification.

Thus, if Scotland's independence was to take place, old antagonisms would surge again to the extent of propagating a lethal cancer that might plunge Europe into a nightmarish disaster.

The SNP has been claiming that many small European countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and Ireland have been increasingly prosperous through their EEC membership but it tends to forget that thousands of Irish people have sought a better life in England and are not ready to return to Ireland whereas not many Dutch, Austrian or Danish nationals have thought it necessary to leave their countries to seek a better living elsewhere.

The SNP also seems to be stricken with amnesia when it comes to recall the close ties that developed between the Scots and the English in many domains as well as the so many wars in which they were engaged side by side to the extent of eventually defeating the Nazis and saving Europe in 1945.

In wanting to reconstruct Hadrian's wall, the SNP might in fact destroy the United Kingdom and isolate Scotland, which would have little means to ensure its economic survival. Already, the autonomy that the Scots were recently granted has induced some firms to relocate in England, meaning that many businessmen do not really believe in Scotland's capacity to develop its economy in a really efficient way.

Despite the Devolution process Scotland's vitality depends much on London and it would be a mistake for those proning independence to think that this country could be fully automous after freeing itself from England's influence. Other countries are in a similar situation. Many French regions have to rely on Paris, the South of Italy would be at a loss without the assistance of the North and Germany would not be so powerful without Bavaria.

The wealth of a country depends much on the specific differences of its regions. The British Labour party should have had in mind that Devolution was not in fact an idealistic solution since such move did not calm down the Scottish nationalists's demands for independence. British Premier Tony Blair should have called for the creation of the United States of Britain, a solution based on the U.S model in order to preserve the unity of the United Kingdom. Now, dismembering Britain, if Scotland gained its independence, would therefore be tantamount to cutting the leg of a medal-winning athlete.

Europe is the melting pot of several populations who have put their cultures forward but history has proved constantly that nationalism has been a dangerous plague regarding its stability. What happened with Yugoslavia is enough an example to induce Europeans to guard themselves from going in turn astray.

Through Devolution Scotland has received all the essential cards to take their future in their hands and achieve some interesting prosperity whereas its independence might turn into a virus likely to infect the whole of Europe.

Nationalism means decadence in that sense that such attitude induces rigidity, intolerance and racism as this happened when the Nazis took power in Germany in 1933. It thus seems that certain recent lessons have alas been forgotten and the Independence of Scotland would surely weaken Britain internationally and endanger Europe's fragile unity.