Renegotiation of NAFTA: Canada’s ambassador to the United States remains confident

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QMI agency

Saturday, December 9, 2017 13:43

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Saturday, December 9, 2017 13:43

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OTTAWA | Canada’s ambassador to The United States, David MacNaughton, believes that it is always possible to complete the renegotiations of the free trade Agreement north american (NAFTA) in time for the month of march.

It will be necessary, however, that the negotiators at the table to overcome the thorny issues that remain, including the u.s. demand for quotas bigger, more severe in terms of parts which should come from the United States.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Mr. MacNaughton said that Canada, the United States and Mexico have all taken advantage of the trade agreement established in 1994.

“I hope that we will get there at the end of the month of march, he said on the subject of difficult negotiations in progress for several months. The parties want to avoid to prolong the exercise until the elections in mexico, which will be held on July 1, 2018.

“I think that NAFTA was a good thing for the three countries. We have put on the table some alternatives rather constructive,” he said to Bloomberg, stating that a number of the chapters of the trade agreement, and continental have already been renegotiated and others are close to a settlement.

On Twitter, David MacNaughton recalled Saturday that trade between Canada and the United States are big business. They have reached 627,8 billion $ last year and resulted in a trade surplus of 12.5 billion $ in favor of the United States, according to figures from the Office of the representative of the United States for foreign trade.

The Americans continue to demand a clause in twilight by which NAFTA would automatically terminate five years after its signature, if the three partner countries fail to agree to extend the duration.

The republican president Donald Trump has not hidden his intention to tear up the NAFTA agreement if the negotiations fail. A bilateral agreement excluding the Mexico could then be signed between Canada and the United States, such as the one that prevailed before the signing of NAFTA.

“I am optimistic that we will find a way” to conclude an agreement, said Mr. MacNaughton, adding: “We want it to work”.

Negotiations resume Monday in Washington for a final round before the end of the year. The representatives of the three countries will return to the necklace on January 23, next to Montreal.