NAFTA Back in the Spotlight

The Mexican negotiating team is back in Washington to continue NAFTA renegotiation after talks among the U.S., Mexico, and Canada stalled two months ago. The Mexican Economy Minister will meet with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for the first time since the Mexican presidential election on July first to formally restart the talks. A source close to the talks tells Politico there’s hope that the U.S. might have a new position in the talks.

“It wouldn’t make sense to restart the talks if there’s no change in position,” the source says. A big part of this week’s meeting between the U.S. and Mexico will be to see if the U.S. “has found a way to work through the challenges with Mexico.” There is some skepticism that may be the case. A vice president with the National Trade Council doesn’t see how (Trade Rep) Lighthizer will back down, saying “he’s been pretty consistent on the poison pill issues.”

Mexico and Canada both shut down the idea on Wednesday that the NAFTA renegotiation could be split into two bilateral deals with the U.S. in spite of President Trump’s repeated comments that the U.S. could reach a deal with Mexico first.

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