SCOTLAND has been urged to use the forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow to pursue potential allies and mount a diplomatic offensive in major cities across the world as it prepares for independence and potentially a place within the European Union.

However, European and Scottish affairs correspondent Udo Seiwert-Fauti – who has spent decades reporting and commenting from the heart of the EU and Scotland – also warned that the Scottish Government should take nothing for granted.

“If Scotland wants to join the EU and then the many other institutions worldwide, it will urgently need ‘allies’,” said the German journalist.

“Get in contact with the consuls in Edinburgh, talk to them, take them seriously, start a branding and PR campaign.

“Lay your demands on the table and tell us [the Europeans] what you want and what help and support you will need.

“Be open – a think tank is not enough, it all has to come and needs to be supported by official Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament institutions.”

Seiwert-Fauti said that while an independent Scotland would have to apply to join the EU, the country should also look to join other international bodies.

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“Has someone in Scotland ever thought about the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, Nato in Brussels and UN and other international institutions?” he said.

“Do you know, for example, that the whole worldwide climate change discussion is co-ordinated from the UN office in Bonn, Germany?

“You have COP26 in Glasgow soon, so Scotland should have a close look at Bonn and its UN city quarter there, including the UN university.”

Seiwert-Fauti said if Scotland wanted to be independent, the work had to start now, and he advised: “Never trust any polls giving you positive [pro-indy] results, even if there are now 19 in a row.

“You have to work until election day to convince your electorate and tell them clearly what you want.”

Gaining membership to Europe, which he said would be a ponderous process, would also open up opportunities for media organisations such as BBC Scotland, which could become a BBC “hub” in Europe under new EU rules making it harder for non-EU bodies to work from within the bloc.

However, he said preparatory work had to be undertaken first.

Seiwert-Fauti added: “Scotland´s independence could and would see a rush of media hubs to Alba, with many media organisations wanting to be still in the EU and work from there in 27 and then 28 countries.

“Where is Scotland´s media think tank preparing for this situation, which could come up very soon?”