[CTC] Canada 'positive' on NAFTA, Mexico says deal possible by end of May

[Arthur Stamoulis]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/17/canada-positive-on-nafta-mexico-says-deal-possible-by-end-of-may.html
Canada 'positive' on NAFTA, Mexico says deal possible by end of May
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday said he felt "positive" about talks to rework the NAFTA trade pact, while a top Mexican official held out hope a deal could be hammered out by the end of May.
U.S. officials say the talks need to wrap up very soon to give the current Congress time to vote on a final text for a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement
REUTERS

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau <https://www.cnbc.com/id/105059972> on Thursday said he felt "positive" about talks to rework the NAFTA trade pact, while a top Mexican official held out hope a deal could be hammered out by the end of May.

U.S. officials say the talks need to wrap up very soon to give the current Congress time to vote on a final text for a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement.

"We've worked with them (the Americans) on a whole bunch of issues, including this morning in Washington where we have some of our top folks continuing the conversations. To be honest, we are down to a point where there is a good deal on the table," Trudeau told the Economic Club of New York.

"It's right down to the last conversations ... I'm feeling positive about this, but it won't be done until it's done and people are working very, very hard on it right now," he added.

Mexico <https://www.cnbc.com/id/105059887>'s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said a deal could be reached by the end of May, but added that if no agreement is reached the talks could extend beyond the July 1 Mexican presidential election.

"If the conditions are defined by next week, nothing stands in the way of closing a deal by the end of May," said Guajardo.

He added that his technical negotiating team is in Washington but there is no date set for the next NAFTA ministerial meeting with the United States <https://www.cnbc.com/united-states/> and Canada <https://www.cnbc.com/canada/>.

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan <https://www.cnbc.com/paul-ryan/> had said that the Republican-controlled Congress <https://www.cnbc.com/id/105056607> would need to be notified of a new deal by Thursday to give lawmakers a chance to approve it before a newly elected Congress takes over in January.

Ryan was asked at a regular weekly press briefing whether there was any wiggle room in the NAFTA approval timeline for Congress.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau <https://www.cnbc.com/id/105059972> on Thursday said he felt "positive" about talks to rework the NAFTA trade pact, while a top Mexican official held out hope a deal could be hammered out by the end of May.

U.S. officials say the talks need to wrap up very soon to give the current Congress time to vote on a final text for a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement.

"We've worked with them (the Americans) on a whole bunch of issues, including this morning in Washington where we have some of our top folks continuing the conversations. To be honest, we are down to a point where there is a good deal on the table," Trudeau told the Economic Club of New York.

"It's right down to the last conversations ... I'm feeling positive about this, but it won't be done until it's done and people are working very, very hard on it right now," he added.

Mexico <https://www.cnbc.com/id/105059887>'s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said a deal could be reached by the end of May, but added that if no agreement is reached the talks could extend beyond the July 1 Mexican presidential election.

"If the conditions are defined by next week, nothing stands in the way of closing a deal by the end of May," said Guajardo.

He added that his technical negotiating team is in Washington but there is no date set for the next NAFTA ministerial meeting with the United States <https://www.cnbc.com/united-states/> and Canada <https://www.cnbc.com/canada/>.

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan <https://www.cnbc.com/paul-ryan/> had said that the Republican-controlled Congress <https://www.cnbc.com/id/105056607> would need to be notified of a new deal by Thursday to give lawmakers a chance to approve it before a newly elected Congress takes over in January.

Ryan was asked at a regular weekly press briefing whether there was any wiggle room in the NAFTA approval timeline for Congress.
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