The Premier of Quebec has said she is inspired to take hope for a potential referendum on the French speaking province’s relationship with the rest of Canada, after a meeting with the First Minister in Edinburgh.

Pauline Marois met Alex Salmond for the first time in Edinburgh, discussing a range of shared ambitions on culture, the environment and economy, as well as the "political situation" in the province and in Scotland.

Quebec has already had two referendums, including one in 1995 which failed by the slimmest of margins.

How do the people of Quebec view Scottish independence ?

Speaking after a day of engagements in the capital, Ms Marois said that while they did not discuss specific information about the Quebec experience, she took hope from the meeting.

"It is encouraging because when you see people, as the Scottish population, which has a long history, to decide to ask the question about their future, I think it’s (a hope) for us," she said.

The 45-minute discussion at Mr Salmond’s Holyrood office was described by the Scottish Government as a courtesy meeting.

A joint statement issued by both parties described aspirations to work more closely on shared issues.

"We believe there is potential for closer economic collaboration betweenQuebec and Scotland in the fields of energy and the environment in particular, where we have both set ourselves ambitions targets in tackling climate change," the statement read.

Key areas were carbon reduction targets, shared expertise on energy technology, trade and economic links, and cultural exchanges.

"Both leaders also talked about the political situation in their respective jurisdictions, and agreed that their destinies are a matter for the people of Scotland andQuebec to decide," the statement added.

Ms Marois, who leads a minority PartiQuebecois administration, also met the deputy presiding officers of the Scottish Parliament Elaine Smith and John Scott, and Labour leader Johann Lamont.

The premier was in Edinburgh after visiting London and meeting world leaders in Davos, Switzerland.