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Scottish Indepednece debate settled for generation -- Cameron

LONDON, Sept 19 (KUNA) -- UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Friday the Scottish independence debate had been "settled for a generation and now was time "for our United Kingdom to come together and to move forward." In a statement outside Downing Street, Cameron said the people of Scotland have spoken and it is a clear result. "They have kept our country of four nations together and like millions of other people I am delighted." Cameron was speaking after the Scottish electorate's decisive rejection of independence.
"As I said during the campaign it would have broken my heart to see our United Kingdom come to an end." Cameron added "and I know that sentiment was shared by people not just across our country but around the world because of what we have achieved together in the past and what we can do together in the future." "So now it is time for our United Kingdom to come together and to move forward," he pointed out. "A vital part of that will be a balanced settlement, fair to people in Scotland and importantly to everyone in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as well." Commentators said that when the people rejected Scotland's independence in a referendum, Cameron has survived "a brush with political death." Like the late prime minister Margaret Thatcher after the invasion of the Falklands in 1982 and the ex-premier Tony Blair on the eve of the Iraq war vote in 2003, Cameron knew that his premiership was in peril over the Scottish referendum.
The rejection of independence means the prime minister survives. But he now has to negotiate his way round a "series of minefields" to ensure that the Nationalists cannot push for an early re-run of the referendum and to reassure Conservative who are alarmed that plans to devolve more powers to the Scottish parliament will place English MPs at a disadvantage.
Cameron said in his televised address it is time to move forward to a better future. He welcomed the fact that Britain is a country where these matters can be resolved peacefully, at the ballot box.
Cameron said he has delivered on devolution in this parliament and the three UK parties will take it forward in the next parliament.
There will be agreement by November, and draft legislation by January.
Former British Foreign secretary and now the minister responsible for parliamentary affairs, William Hague, will set up a cabinet committee on this.
Cameron said he hoped the other parties would contribute. He also wanted to give more power to cities.
"There must be a balanced settlement, fair to the people of Scotland, but of the rest of the UK too," he insisted.
He indicated that he has a message for those who voted for independence: "We hear you." (end) he.nfm