Mexican trade team due in US for NAFTA talks

Mexico’s negotiating team for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will resume its talks with US officials in Washington yesterday, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said, reports AFP from Mexico city.

“We will be starting our meetings tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday) after landing in Washington,” Guajardo, who leads the Mexican team, told local radio Grupo Formula on Tuesday.

Guajardo said he would be accompanied by Jesus Seade, who has been designated his successor by president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office on December 1.

US and Mexican officials have said they will aim to conclude the talks this month.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer last month suggested he still favored a so-called sunset clause in US trade agreements, requiring parties to renew them every five years.

US insistence on the sunset provision helped derail the NAFTA talks earlier this year after both Canadian and Mexican officials rejected it outright.

Talks were first launched last year after Trump demanded an overhaul of the “terrible deal,” and he has threatened to pull out and then negotiate separate bilateral accords, most recently in a letter to Lopez Obrador.

 

Mexican trade team due in US for NAFTA talks

Mexicos negotiating team for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will resume its talks with US officials in Washington yesterday, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said, reports AFP from Mexico city. We will be starting our meetings tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday) after landing in Washington, Guajardo, who leads the Mexican team, told local radio Grupo Formula on Tuesday. Guajardo said he would be accompanied by Jesus Seade, who has been designated his successor by president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office on December 1. US and Mexican officials have said they will aim to conclude the talks this month. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer last month suggested he still favored a so-called sunset clause in US trade agreements, requiring parties to renew them every five years. US insistence on the sunset provision helped derail the NAFTA talks earlier this year after both Canadian and Mexican officials rejected it outright. Talks were first launched last year after Trump demanded an overhaul of the terrible deal, and he has threatened to pull out and then negotiate separate bilateral accords, most recently in a letter to Lopez Obrador.