Mr Roe wants the islands to have the opportunities of the mainland

He was responding to calls for a new deal for islanders at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands in Forres.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) chairman Willie Roe has asked for the cost of life on the islands to be put on a par with living in cities.

He said there should be improvements to transport and healthcare.

Mr McConnell was speaking at the opening of the convention.

We are prepared to face up to our responsibilities and are prepared to do so First Minister Jack McConnell

He said: "The islands are a very special part of Scotland - part of our soul - but they are also part of modern Scotland and our economy too.

"So having a strategy is a great idea but servicing island communities costs money - transport, links, infrastructure."

Mr McConnell added: "But we in Scotland are receiving more per head of population level of expenditure from the rest of the UK, partly because we have these island communities.

Long term

"We are prepared to face up to our responsibilities."

The population on many of Scotland's islands has been dropping for years.

Mr Roe said future prospects could be improved by a new "compact", a deal to make the cost of island life equivalent to mainland costs, and redesigning delivery of services like healthcare so it suits islanders better.

It would cost money in the long term, but Mr Roe believes it would also open the door for islanders, just as those on Gigha did when they bought over their island in 2002.

The move reversed population loss and opened the way for new businesses.

Jim Mather, Scottish National Party MSP for Highlands and Islands, welcomed the drawing up of a strategy.