ZCZC
BCN-04
US-MEXICO-CANADA-TRADE-NAFTA
Mexico hopes to conclude NAFTA talks with US next week: minister
WASHINGTON, Aug 18, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – US and Mexican negotiators are making
progress and could resolve remaining issues to revamp the North American Free
Trade Agreement by next week, Mexico’s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo
said Friday.
Once the two nations iron out the pending differences, Canada could then
rejoin the discussions, he told reporters following a meeting with US trade
officials.
“Hopefully we will be able to close up no later than the middle of the week
the remaining issues and probably there will be space to start the
trilateral,” he said.
Guajardo has been leading a delegation to Washington for four straight
weeks to try to conclude a deal to rewrite NAFTA in time to be signed before
a new government takes office in Mexico in December.
He said the team would return Tuesday to continue the discussions.
But there remain “a couple of things that have to be settled,” including
the US demand for a “sunset clause” that would end the trade pact after five
years unless it was reauthorized.
“There is no breakthrough until everything is finished.”
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Thursday he hoped to get a
breakthrough with Mexico in the coming days.
But President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was in “no rush” to conclude
a deal and reiterated that “NAFTA has been a disaster for our country.”
The US, Mexico and Canada began talks to modernize the 24-year-old trade
pact a year ago at Trump’s insistence but the talks were hung up over US
demands.
Recent discussions with Mexico are largely over provisions affecting the
auto industry.
BSS/AFP/SR/1720 HRS