One of the US's most influential newspapers has said Scottish independence could lead to "a less stable world".

A Washington Post editorial said Scotland would be "unable to contribute meaningfully to global security" and significantly weaken the UK which it regards as the US's foremost ally.

Independence could destabilise the pound and cost the remainder of the UK its seat on the United Nations Security Council, the newspaper also speculates.

The UK would be able to veto Scotland's entry to the European Union and could lay claim to a third of the North Sea's oil fields, it claims.

The editorial states that Scottish independence is part of a "worrying trend" towards European regional fragmentation, citing separatist movements such as Catalonia in Spain, Flanders in Belgium and Venice in Italy.

"Like small US states, European statelets could command disproportionate representation in EU bodies; today's provincial politicians imagine themselves seated alongside Germany and France at European summits," it says.

"To be sure, a more local government can be more efficient, more democratic and more attuned to citizens' interests. But the more fragmented Europe becomes, the less it will be able to use its collective strength on the global stage, both in military and diplomatic terms.

"Though a weak EU diplomatic corps exists, a bona fide continental military is a distant dream, at best. A weaker Europe means a less stable world, and less leverage for the democracies."

The Washington Post is one of the US's leading daily newspapers, published in the US capital and specialising in political coverage and commentary.

It claims around 20 million readers throughout the US and a further six million around the world.Its editorials represent the views of the paper, as determined through debate among members of the editorial board.