Scottish independence: Hague says independence means pay more for less from EU
The Foreign Secretary William Hague is in Scotland to unveil the UK government's latest analysis paper on the impact of independence.
The document claims that Scotland benefits from the UK's place in the EU and the international community.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had earlier claimed that an independent Scotland could still work with the rest of the UK and would be able to make its own voice heard on the world stage.
Mr Hague told BBC Scotland's James Naughtie: "Scotland in effect is going to have two referendums on whether to leave the European Union and one of them is this year, one of them is in September.
"People should be in no doubt about what I've just been saying. Part of a member state that leaves the EU has to reapply for membership and that will be a process of uncertain length and unknown outcome in terms of the terms that are negotiated and probably great cost. It means paying more to get less from the EU."