NAFTA negotiations continue until the last second


Montreal, CNBC Indonesia – The United States and Canada held negotiations on changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for 11 hours on Sunday (9/30/2018) to meet Washington's deadline.

The discussions took place by telephone, unlike previous meetings during which Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland visited Washington in person.

US President Donald Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro said Fox News “Everyone is negotiating in good faith right now.”

“The deadline is midnight tonight so that the text of the agreement can be submitted to Congress to keep all of this going,” he said, as quoted by AFP.

On the Canadian side, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated that negotiations were ongoing and that they had no news to announce to the public at this time.

Photo: CNBC
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Canadian media, The Globe and Mail, indicated that “substantial work” had been completed but that some details were still under discussion. Both sides want the negotiations to be completed by Sunday evening.

The United States and Mexico want to submit the new agreement to their respective legislative bodies before the official inauguration of Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on December 1.

In the United States, Congress must accept the text of the agreement on Sunday, with the review period expected to last 60 days.

The United States and Mexico reached an agreement in August after negotiations that lasted more than a year.

However, discussions with Canada have been difficult, particularly regarding the dairy sector which is important for Canada.

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Felicia Slater

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