The Bougainville and Papua New Guinea Governments will meet in two weeks to make key decisions preparing for next year's referendum.
Bougainville is set to vote on possible independence as the final step of the 2001 Peace Agreement which formally ended the ten year long civil war.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and Bougainville President John Momis met in Port Moresby on Monday and have agreed to hold a special meeting of the Joint Supervisory Board, the JSB, in two weeks' time.
The JSB is to establish the question for the referendum and set up a commission to prepare for the event.
Mr Momis told Don Wiseman he understands the many pressures the national government faces and how this has delayed earlier JSB meetings.
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Bougainville President John Momis and PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill at JSB meeting Photo: supplied