AFP, Washington :
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Friday officials were making progress in intensive talks to revamp the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico.
Freeland met over two days in Washington with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who described the talks as “positive,” and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo to try to reach an agreement on a new NAFTA.
The discussions have entered “a new, more intensive phase of engagement,” Freeland told Canadian television.
“The tone is positive. We are making progress. And we’re just all very committed to working as hard as we can to get a good deal, a win-win-win.”
She said talks would continue and she would stay on in Washington “a little while longer.”
“The bottom line is we had two days of intensive and constructive and productive work.”
The administration of US President Donald Trump is increasing pressure in hopes of quickly reaching a deal. Looming on the horizon are July’s presidential elections in Mexico and November’s midterm US congressional elections.
The sides reportedly are aiming to have a deal in principle finished by the time of next week’s Summit of the Americas in Peru.
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Friday officials were making progress in intensive talks to revamp the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico.
Freeland met over two days in Washington with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who described the talks as “positive,” and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo to try to reach an agreement on a new NAFTA.
The discussions have entered “a new, more intensive phase of engagement,” Freeland told Canadian television.
“The tone is positive. We are making progress. And we’re just all very committed to working as hard as we can to get a good deal, a win-win-win.”
She said talks would continue and she would stay on in Washington “a little while longer.”
“The bottom line is we had two days of intensive and constructive and productive work.”
The administration of US President Donald Trump is increasing pressure in hopes of quickly reaching a deal. Looming on the horizon are July’s presidential elections in Mexico and November’s midterm US congressional elections.
The sides reportedly are aiming to have a deal in principle finished by the time of next week’s Summit of the Americas in Peru.
