Nationalist parties in UK sign MoU calling for constitutional change

Leaders of nationalist parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a memorandum of understanding in the Welsh capital Cardiff on Monday, calling for greater cooperation and urging the British government to prepare for possible constitutional change.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who leads the Scottish National Party (SNP), Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, and Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald and Vice President Michelle O'Neill attended the meeting. The leaders attended as party representatives rather than on behalf of their respective devolved governments.

The pact comes about four months after elections in the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd in Wales, which meant that for the first time, all three devolved administrations in the United Kingdom are now headed by first ministers from nationalist or pro-independence parties.

They maintain that the people in each nation should be able to decide their own future through democratic means, and call on the British government to "prepare for, plan and facilitate constitutional change" in each jurisdiction.

The memorandum, however, does acknowledge that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have distinct political and constitutional circumstances and different aims and timetables.

The SNP supports an independent Scotland, Plaid Cymru advocates Welsh independence, while Sinn Fein seeks the reunification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland.

Beyond constitutional questions, the three parties also agreed to step up cooperation on the economy, renewable energy and relations with Europe. The memorandum said Brexit has harmed economic opportunities and argued that the future of the nations represented by the parties lies within the European Union.

Responding to the Cardiff meeting, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the prime minister remained committed to the union and was focused on easing pressure on household finances and improving economic security, rather than holding further constitutional debates or referendums.

Nationalist parties in UK sign MoU calling for constitutional change

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which opened on Tuesday, has provided an inclusive platform for countries to express their views and address security concerns, according to a Chinese military expert recently.

The three-day event, themed "Build Consensus on Stability, Advance Security Governance Together", features four plenary sessions and eight parallel sessions.

"Countries can fully utilize the Beijing Xiangshan Forum as a platform to articulate their views; its non-exclusive nature is its most significant characteristic. For instance, many nations often overlooked by the international community can leverage the forum's platform to voice their security concerns, making the event constructive in a meaningful sense. It also resonates with the concept of 'common security' found in the Global Security Initiative proposed by China," said Fu Zhengnan, a research fellow at the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Academy of Military Sciences.

Delegations from almost 100 countries, regions and international organizations are attending the forum, with more than 60 representatives at the ministerial or military chief level and above.

The forum also includes closed-door seminars on sensitive issues, including the Ukraine crisis and the situation in the Middle East.

Launched in 2006 as a "track-two" think-tank exchange, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum has expanded over the past two decades to bring together government officials, military leaders and scholars from around the world.

Xiangshan Forum promotes inclusive security dialogue, cooperation: military expert