The Scottish and the UK governments have started to work to develop a draft accord to lay down the regulations of a referendum on Scotland’s independence. SNP Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is guiding the referendum campaign as the UK and Scottish administrations desire movement towards a draft referendum accord.

Discussions over a potential draft agreement moved ahead Thursday, with the two sides dubbing the discussions as constructive.

Nonetheless, the discussions between Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Secretary Michael Moore didn’t solve the significant issue of the number of questions that will be presented to Scotland’s voters in the ballot paper.

SNP ministers, obviously, prefer a direct question on independence. However, the minister await the publication of a consultative document, which will demonstrate the degree of Scottish public support for a second question, which asks voters whether they would want a more autonomous Scottish Parliament within a unified UK.

Both the sides have expressed that there is consensus over allowing the Election Commission to supervise the vote. The Scottish administration will have the final voice over public broadcasts during the campaign.

The UK government, therefore, intends to ratify the legislation in October, which would grant the Scottish Parliament the complete responsibility for the referendum’s management.

The above-mentioned discussions on Thursday led to the two sides uttering that PM David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond would meet within the next few weeks, when a final referendum agreement may be sealed.

Nicola Sturgeon and Michael Moore will interact again in London next week for another round of discussions.

UK ministers have consented to the SNP’s demand to stage the referendum in 2014 autumn.

The SNP wants the Scottish people to be asked whether they agree with Scotland becoming an independent nation.

Meanwhile, European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, has stated that, if Scotland secedes from the UK, it would have to renegotiate within the global legal order to enter the European Union.

Alex Salmond has remarked that an independent Scotland’s status in the EU would be more transparent in 2013.

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