[CTC] Mexican negotiator: NAFTA talks shifting to ministerial level

[Dolan, Mike]

No next or final Round of talks is scheduled, apparently ...

POLITICO

Mexican negotiator: NAFTA talks shifting to ministerial level
By Megan Cassella

04/03/2018 12:15 PM EDT

The NAFTA renegotiation is entering a new phase of intensive engagement at the top ministerial level, Mexico's chief negotiator said on Tuesday.

"NAFTA modernization process is entering a phase of intensive ministerial engagement," Kenneth Smith Ramos wrote<http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=89aba2c29511375424a3f8bdc17298620e7201836e126c8c36e6a0fbb690509dbd5de29956ea89220c62d23aa9605400> on Twitter. He added<http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=89aba2c295113754e87ea45e373ad7a981691c8ae9a1aa7eac4a3c5030303317e27a2bcf1414033bfe12f9d654be86e5> that Mexico "will continue to work constructively, and it will be the substance of the negotiation that drives any potential conclusion."

The last formal negotiating round ended early last month, and it remains unclear whether another official round will be held. Another round had been expected to be held in the Washington area sometime next week, but sources close to the talks have since said that it may be delayed further. One U.S. administration official said Tuesday that there would not be another formal round. None of the three governments has confirmed any dates.

In the meantime, the NAFTA countries' top trade ministers - U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo - are set to meet in Washington this week.

Guajardo told a Mexican radio station on Monday that the three leaders would be looking to determine the scope of a final deal and agree on the basics, according to a Reuters report<http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=89aba2c295113754d9bf99fe302b8a2af62c14cd665f61687b709c41093054b7c970255a3f5bdc88654a4e1239a8c045>.

He said the U.S. is looking for a "quick solution," but added that while a fair amount of progress has been made - including through continued engagement since the close of the last formal round - the three sides are "not there yet."

The three countries' leaders will also get a chance to meet later this month at the Summit of the Americas in Peru, which is set to begin on April 13. President Donald Trump has been pushing for an agreement in principle that could be announced at the summit, Bloomberg reported<http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=89aba2c2951137540f0e1b3dd7e78756e1136a8ec512e1b2a0aea2bed85949868b18477196f6703253028b5e9a8d6ec5> on Monday.

Guajardo appeared hopeful in the radio interview that some progress could be made at that meeting, but he cautioned that a longer period of time would be needed to nail down technical details.

"There will be an opportunity at the Summit of the Americas for the three North American leaders to greet one another," he said. "And undoubtedly there could be an opportunity to send proactive messages and instructions at presidential level, irrespective of the fact that there is still technical work to do."

Ramos, in his tweets on Tuesday, appeared to caution against setting a formal deadline for wrapping up the talks when he said the substance of the negotiations will drive any potential conclusion. "Goal: a stronger and modern NAFTA," he added.

Adam Behsudi contributed to this report.



Michael F. Dolan, J.D.
Legislative Representative
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Desk  202.624.6891
Fax    202.624.8973
Cell    202.437.2254

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