No breakthrough at NAFTA talks, US timeline could be in doubt
WASHINGTON/OTTAWA: The United States, Mexico and Canada still have to resolve major issues around NAFTA, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday, casting doubt that the quick deal sought by Washington would materialise.
Freeland met US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo for several hours on Friday but made clear there was a lack of consensus on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “We had some constructive conversations... and that intensive pace of work, which has been happening over the last couple of weeks, will continue in the days to come,” she told reporters outside the Washington building where the talks took place.
“We are going to keep on working until we get a good deal,” she added, saying negotiations would continue at the level of officials.
Lighthizer, citing the need to reach a deal an agreement before the Mexican presidential election on July 1, says he wants the outlines of a deal soon to update the regional trade agreement.
A brief statement from Lighthizer’s office said the talks had been positive and added that “we will continue working to achieve an agreement that benefits our three countries.”
Mexico’s economy ministry said the three countries agreed on Friday that their negotiating teams should press on with technical work in coming days and try to find “the balance that enables the process to move forward in its entirety.” Mexican business lobby CCE said in a statement that it would accompany the country’s negotiating team. “The continuation of the meetings is a positive sign, and there is a window of opportunity to advance substantially towards an agreement,” Juan Pablo Castañón, president of the business lobby, said in the statement.
US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to walk away from the $1.2 trillion pact unless major changes are made, on Thursday said the three nations should have something to announce fairly soon.
Unveiling the outlines of a deal — which Canadian and Mexican officials had initially suggested might happen at a regional summit in Peru next week — would allow leaders to claim a political victory while leaving officials to work out the precise details in the months to come.
Full story @ timesofoman.com/business