- Title: On eave of trade talks Mexico takes stock of NAFTA's legacy
- Date: 15th August 2017
- Summary: CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA STATE, MEXICO (FILE) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF LEAR CORPORATION FACILITY EMPLOYEES OF MANUFACTURING FACILITIES ARRIVING AT WORK EMPLOYEES WALKING IN FRONT OF FACTORY WORKERS INSIDE MANUFACTURING PLANT WOMAN WORKING ON CIRCUIT BOARD CLOSE-UP OF WOMAN'S HANDS WORKING ON CIRCUIT BOARD MAN WORKING ON ELECTRONICS
- Embargoed: 29th August 2017 23:29
- Keywords: Mexico international trade trade agreement NAFTA renegotiation mexican economy Carlos Salinas George Bush
- Location: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA / MEXICO CITY; MONTERREY, NUEVO LEON STATE; AGUASCALIENTES, AGUASCALIENTES STATE; URUAPAN, MICHOACAN STATE; CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA STATE; MEXICO
- City: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA / MEXICO CITY; MONTERREY, NUEVO LEON STATE; AGUASCALIENTES, AGUASCALIENTES STATE; URUAPAN, MICHOACAN STATE; CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA STATE; MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA0076U9Q9MR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Mexico is gearing up for the first round of trade talks aimed at renegotiating the 23-year-old NAFTA agreement.
The North American Free Trade Agreement was negotiated in the early 1990s by then-President Carlos Salinas de Gortari along with his U.S. counterpart, George Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
The talks start on Wednesday and will be led by Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. Guajardo struck a cautious note about the talks. ‎"I have always said a negotiator cannot be an optimist. He has to be a realist with a positive approach," he told reporters on Tuesday (August 15).
The talks follow threats by U.S. President Donald Trump during his presidential campaign to ditch the 1994 NAFTA agreement, which he said had hurt U.S. manufacturing and drained jobs to low-wage Mexico. Trump said later he had been convinced by Canada and Mexico to renegotiate the pact.
The United States has said its top objective for the talks is shrinking the $64 billion U.S. goods trade deficit with Mexico, as well as a much smaller $11 billion deficit with Canada.
While U.S. administration officials have said there is no firm deadline to reach an agreement, Mexico is pushing for the sides to reach an agreement before its presidential campaign begins in earnest in February. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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