[CTC] Freeland says no deal yet; Mexican negotiator says one could come by this weekend

[Arthur Stamoulis]

INSIDE US TRADE
Freeland says no deal yet; Mexican negotiator says one could come by this weekend

September 05, 2018 
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer concluded North American Free Trade Agreement talks on Wednesday with no deal – though Mexico's chief NAFTA negotiator said he thought an agreement could be reached by this weekend.

Freeland told reporters after the meeting ended that their staffs would continue to work into the evening and “probably late into the night”.

“We set them a number of issues to work on and they will report back to us in the morning and we will then continue our negotiations,” Freeland said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated on Wednesday that the inclusion of a trade remedy dispute settlement system and cultural exemptions continue to be red lines for Canada <https://insidetrade.com/node/164287>, adding that Canada could be willing to further negotiate the opening up of its dairy market.

President Trump said in a meeting with congressional Republican leaders on Wednesday afternoon that the U.S. and Canada should be striking a deal “over the next two or three days,” suggesting the bilateral negotiations could even conclude on Wednesday.

“We'll see how it all works out,” Trump said. “We don't want NAFTA. NAFTA has been very bad for our country. But we'll have a trade bill.”

When asked if Trump’s time line was realistic, Freeland told reporters “my negotiating counterparty is Ambassador Lighthizer.... I think that question is really to the president.”

Mexico’s chief NAFTA negotiator, Kenneth Smith Ramos, said on Wednesday at forum <https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/Equipo-negociador-mexicano-espera-un-entendimiento-EU-Canada-este-viernes-20180905-0055.html> organized by Canalum, a Mexican aluminum industry group, that he foresaw a U.S.-Canada deal by Friday or Saturday, at which point trilateral discussions could begin.

The text of the agreement must be submitted to Congress by Oct. 1 in order to meet the time line set by the 2015 Trade Promotion Authority law after the Trump administration last Friday notified lawmakers of its intent to forge a new deal with Mexico – and with Canada “if it is willing.”


Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826




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