BBC NEWS
The war of words between the governments in London and Edinburgh over an independent Scotland's place in the world is set to intensify.
Foreign Secretary William Hague is to unveil the latest in a series of papers produced by the UK government ahead of September's referendum.
The document will claim Scotland benefits from the UK's place in the EU and the international community.
The Scottish government has posed its own questions for Mr Hague.
Mr Hague will be in Glasgow alongside Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander to argue that an independent Scottish state may not be able to negotiate the same terms of EU membership as the UK.
His document points out that all 28 member states would have to agree on them.
'Strong voice'
The paper, Scotland Analysis: EU and International, claims: "The UK uses its influence within the EU to Scotland's advantage on a whole host of issues of particular interest to people and businesses in Scotland, such as budget contributions, fisheries, agricultural subsidies and Structural Funds.
"Scotland benefits from this and from the UK's strong voice in Europe, where it contributes to and participates in discussions and negotiations from its position within the UK.
"By contrast, since an independent Scottish state would be a new state, it would have to go through some form of accession process to become a member of the EU, which would involve negotiations on the precise terms of its membership.
"It cannot be assumed that Scotland would be able to negotiate the favourable terms of EU membership which the UK enjoys."
First Minister Alex Salmond has argued Scotland's membership of the EU would be negotiated "from within". He has also argued an independent Scottish state would not have to join the euro.
The UK government's document states: "The Scottish government's stated intention to retain the pound and join the Common Travel Area (CTA) is at odds with the EU's long established conditions of EU accession, and is not in the Scottish government's gift.
"It would have to convince all 28 EU Member States to grant unanimous approval to change these conditions."
But Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused the UK government of acting against Scotland's interests.
'Driven by fear'
In a letter to Mr Hague, she wrote: "Regardless of the outcome of the referendum on September 18, people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will always be Scotland's closest friends and neighbours.
"I also have no doubt that, in the event of a Yes vote, governments of an independent Scotland will work extremely closely with future Westminster governments.
"In European, international, defence and a range of other matters, our interests will often coincide and we will be able to work together constructively."
She went on to accuse Conservative politicians of putting the UK's membership of the EU in doubt, "driven by a fear of UKIP which does not exist in Scotland".
The deputy first minister also renewed her call for Prime Minister David Cameron to debate with Mr Salmond ahead of the referendum.
"The prime minister has insisted he will not take part in a debate with the first minister because, he says, it is a matter for voters in Scotland and not him or his government," she wrote.
"This position is increasingly hard to sustain given the succession of Westminster ministers continuing to make day trips to Scotland to oppose independence."
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