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EDINBURGH, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Scottish government on Tuesday put forward a motion to ask the Scottish parliament to give a mandate to continue its work and explore every option for retaining Scotland's relationship with the EU.
Making a statement at the Scottish parliament, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon expressed her hope that the motion will attract support across the chamber.
She made it clear that "a vote for this motion is not a vote for a referendum on independence," stating that she was emphatically not asking the Scottish parliament to endorse another referendum on independence on Tuesday's debate.
"If the government does conclude that the best or only way to protect Scotland's place in the EU is through a referendum on independence, we will return to Parliament with that judgment and it will then, at that time, be for Parliament to decide," said Sturgeon.
She stressed that her starting point for the debate was to protect Scotland's relationship with the EU, and that the motion launched calls on the Scottish government to report back to the Scottish parliament and its European Committee.
Sturgeon promised to do so and keep party leaders informed of the Scottish government's progress to protect Scotland's relationship with, and place in, the EU.
Earlier, she set out for the Scottish parliament the action the Scottish government had taken since Britain voted to leave the EU while Scotland chose to remain in Thursday's EU referendum.
Sturgeon said she had set up a "standing council" of experts to provide her with advice following the Brexit vote, and would visit Brussels to set out Scotland's position and interests to representatives of the major groups in the European Parliament and with European Parliament President Martin Schulz.
Meanwhile, she reassured those from other countries who chose to make Scotland their home that they are welcome in Scotland and their contribution are valued, adding "Scotland remains a stable and attractive place for business and investment."
In a historic referendum on June 23, Britain voted to leave the EU after 43 years in the bloc. The Leave campaign received 51.9 percent of the votes, against 48.1 percent for the Remain side.
However, Scotland voted 62 percent in favor of remaining in the EU, with the majority in each council of its 32 local authority areas voting to remain. Enditem
