- Title: Canada says cautiously optimistic about EU trade deal
- Date: 27th October 2016
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, STEPHANE DION, TALKING TO FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, JEAN-MARC AYRAULT, BEFORE THE NEWS CONFERENCE DION ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (French) CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, STEPHANE DION, SAYING: "I am cautiously optimistic, once bitten, twice shy, we hope that the Europeans have agreed between themselves because Canada is ready to sign. I think that if the news you announced becomes reality, it is excellent news." WOMAN TAKING NOTES AT NEWS CONFERENCE DION ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, JEAN-MARC AYRAULT, SAYING: "According to our information, it seems that an agreement has been reached in Belgium. If it is confirmed, we are delighted because we are in favour, France, of this treaty." PEOPLE AT NEWS CONFERENCE DION LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 11th November 2016 15:20
- Keywords: Canada France trade EU agreement foreign minister deal
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA00155S8HTZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Canada on Thursday (October 27) said it remained ready to sign a trade agreement with the European Union and was cautiously optimistic a deal would happen after the news that Belgian regions had ended a deadlock with their federal government.
"I am cautiously optimistic, once bitten, twice shy, we hope that the Europeans have agreed between themselves because Canada is ready to sign," Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion told reporters on the fringe of a conference on security in Paris.
"I think that if the news you announced becomes reality, it is excellent news", he added.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said France was in favour of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada.
Earlier this Thursday, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said the heads of the country's regions had drawn up an addendum to the agreement that answered their concerns over the rights of farmers and governments - an addendum that still needs the approval of Canada and other EU states. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
