MOSCOW, September 19 (RIA Novosti) – President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso has welcomed the results of the Scottish independence referendum, which ended with 55.3 percent of Scots voting against separation from the United Kingdom.
"I welcome the decision of the Scottish people to maintain the unity of the United Kingdom. This outcome is good for the united, open and stronger Europe that the European Commission stands for," Barroso said in a statement published on the official European Commission website Friday.
"The European Commission will continue to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Scottish Government, in areas under its responsibility, that are important to Scotland's future, including jobs and growth, energy, climate change and the environment, and smarter regulation," Barroso noted.
Barroso also said that "The European Commission welcomes the fact that during the debate over the past years, the Scottish Government and the Scottish people have repeatedly reaffirmed their European commitment."
Earlier on Friday, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed "respect" for the choice that the Scottish people made in their independence referendum.
With all ballots counted, Scotland has chosen to stay in the United Kingdom with 44.7 percent of Scottish people having voted in support of independence and 55.3 percent having voted against.
The independence referendum, which took place on Thursday, September 18, saw a turnout of 84.59 percent.
