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Scotland must have say on UK's Article 50 letter: Scottish minister

Michael Russell said he did not know when Prime Minister Theresa May planned to submit a letter to the European Union

Reuters February 08, 2017

scotland 039 s minister for eu negotiations michael russell poses for an photograph during an interview in berlin germany november 17 2016 photo reuters

Scotland's minister for EU negotiations, Michael Russell, poses for an photograph during an interview in Berlin, Germany, November 17, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON: The British government cannot begin the process of leaving the EU before it has agreed with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the form of the letter to launch divorce talks, Scotland's Brexit minister said on Wednesday.

Michael Russell told a committee of lawmakers in London that he did not know when Prime Minister Theresa May planned to submit a letter to the European Union to trigger Article 50 of the bloc's Lisbon Treaty and had not been shown a draft.

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The fourth meeting of the joint ministerial committee, which brings together representatives of the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, for talks with the British government is due to take place on Wednesday.

Asked about that committee's involvement in the letter, Russell said: "We don't believe that triggering Article 50 can be done unless ... there has been an attempt to get an agreement on the letter."