全球領袖第一人 英相登上美國空軍一號 〔編譯管淑平／綜合報導〕將於十三日起訪問美國的英國首相卡麥隆，獲邀與美國總統歐巴馬一起搭乘空軍一號，前往俄亥俄州看大學籃球賽。卡麥隆是全球第一位獲此「殊榮」的領導人，飛行時間預計歷時七十分鐘，以凸顯美國對美英兩國關係的重視。
法總統只獲招待一份熱狗
英 國「每日郵報」報導，美國總統的空軍一號飛行一小時要花十八萬一千七百美元（約五百三十六萬台幣），相當英國平均家庭年收入的一半。相較之下，法國總統薩 科茲訪美時，受到的特別待遇是歐巴馬帶他到華府一家知名的熱狗店，大啖一份四．二美元（約一百二十四台幣）的熱狗，俄羅斯總統梅德維傑夫則是一份起司漢堡 和可樂。
美國空軍一號為波音747-200B型客機改裝而成，有「飛行白宮」之稱，是美國國力象徵、在美國遇襲時的行動指揮中樞。
儘 管卡麥隆並非國家元首，歐巴馬仍將舉行正式國宴款待。歐巴馬剛上任時，對英國的態度較冷淡，三年前時任英國首相的布朗到紐約出席峰會時，與歐巴馬在聯合國 廚房外私下會談，更被解讀遭歐巴馬冷落。但後來歐巴馬態度轉變，尤其是在利比亞行動後，上週白宮發言人形容英國是「我們在世界上關係最密切的夥伴」。一名 美國官員說，現在「似乎在做某種程度的修補」。
卡梅倫在英國議會聯絡委員會發表講話時稱﹐英國對與伊朗進行談判持開放態度﹐若伊朗停止研製核武器﹐則未來該國可能會被允許使用核能。
不過卡梅倫同時表示﹐有可能針對伊朗採取任何措施﹐包括軍事行動。
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Alex Salmond insists on independence referendum mandate
First Minister Alex Salmond met his ministers to discuss plans for a referendum consultation Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has said his government has a mandate to hold a referendum on independence in the autumn of 2014.
The UK government says Holyrood cannot legally go ahead without its authority.
But Mr Salmond said UK PM David Cameron had "no mandate" to set the rules and suggested he was doing so because he was "frightened" he would lose.
The BBC's Nick Robinson says it could mean an historic Supreme Court struggle between Westminster and Holyrood.
Mr Salmond said the 2014 date would allow people to make a "considered" decision on the country's future within the UK.
'Not right'He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "not fair" to suggest he was worried he would lose if the referendum had only two options - to stay in the UK or leave it - which is the UK government's preference.
He denied wanting a "get out clause" and said there was a "lot of opinion in Scotland" supporting a third option - increased financial powers for the Scottish government, short of full independence, known as "devo max".
“Start Quote
Alex Salmond Scottish First MinisterI thought his intervention was almost Thatcher-esque in its nature”
"I just don't think it's right and proper at this stage, before people have had a consultation on the referendum question or questions for the UK government to start ruling that out."
"Why should we be excluding what is a legitimate point of view across Scotland?"
"Perhaps the Westminster politicians are trying to set the ground rules, the timing, who votes, the questions because they are frightened they will lose it?"
In a row that could become a constitutional crisis, Mr Salmond has accused the UK government of adopting a belligerent attitude.
'Sooner not later'He said Mr Cameron's intervention had been "almost Thatcher-esque": "The idea [was] that 'London knows best' and was really operating in our best interests but wanted to set the ground rules for our referendum, despite the fact he's got no mandate whatsoever for doing so."
| SNP position | Unionist position |
|---|---|
| Wants the referendum in the autumn of 2014 | Wants the referendum "sooner rather than later" |
| Backs a "yes/no" ballot but is open minded on including a second "devo max" question | Wants a one question "yes/no" ballot |
| Wants 16 and 17-year-olds to be able to vote in the referendum | Backs the status quo with 18 and over able to vote |
| Wants a special commission to conduct the referendum | Wants the Electoral Commission to oversee the vote |
"The SNP won an overwhelming majority on the promise that we would offer the people a referendum on their own future, is it not entirely reasonable that that referendum ... is made in Scotland and decided by the Scottish people?"
Scottish Secretary Michael Moore says he hopes to work with the SNP government to resolve the dispute.
He told MPs on Tuesday that there would be a consultation on how to hold a referendum.
He has not stated when the coalition government would prefer a referendum to be held, but said he would like it to be "sooner rather than later".
The government's "clear view" was that the power to hold a referendum was "reserved" to Westminster under devolution laws passed in 1998 and that the Scottish government could not authorise a referendum on its own.
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont said Mr Salmond's announcing the preferred date was a "panicked response from a panicked first minister".
Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said the "key issues" were what the referendum question would be and who would oversee the vote.
Under the Scottish government's timetable, a referendum bill would be introduced at Holyrood in January 2013, it would be expected to be passed by the autumn and gain Royal Assent later in 2013.
Big differences also remain between the Scottish and UK governments on the timing of the referendum, who would run it and on whether 16 and 17-year-olds could vote.
英国政府敦促苏格兰举行独立公投 英
首相卡梅伦坚持“要么走，要么留”，
Cameron throws Scots independence gauntlet
David Cameron, British prime minister, has challenged Scotland’s first minister to hold a referendum on independence, paving the way for a vote that could trigger the collapse of the United Kingdom.
Mr Cameron will today offer Alex Salmond the power to hold a legally binding vote on whether Scotland should remain part of the 305-year-old union with England.
The prime minister said he wanted to offer two options: Scotland remaining in the union, or leaving it. At the weekend he said: “Let’s clear up the legal situation and then have a debate about how we bring this to a conclusion. My view is that sooner rather than later would be better.”
However, nationalists argue that limiting the choice to two options make a vote in favour of independence unlikely.
With many in Scotland lukewarm to the idea, Mr Salmond wants more time to make his case and wants to offer voters a third option: becoming fiscally independent while remaining part of the UK.
The decision to offer a vote reflects the London government’s concern about what some see as an unstoppable drift towards Scottish independence.
Tony Blair, former prime minister, hoped to have halted the case for independence when he devolved a significant amount of power to a parliament in Edinburgh after he took power in 1997.
Yet since then the Scottish National party has grown in strength and the government in London has now appointed George Osborne, chancellor and a leading strategist, to head up a committee to look at the issue.
The government said Mr Osborne’s appointment showed how seriously it was taking the issue of Scottish independence.
The chancellor told his cabinet colleagues yesterday that he wanted a quick and decisive referendum that would provide a clear Yes or No answer.
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