Mexico not looking to cut side deal with U.S. and leave Canada out, foreign secretary says
Mexico's foreign secretary has denied rumors that the country is seeking a separate trade deal with the U.S. that would exclude Canada. Both Mexico and Canada continue to emphasize the trilateral nature of the CUSMA agreement despite differing progress in their respective bilateral negotiations with the U.S.
Why it matters
The stability of the North American trade bloc is critical for regional economic integration and supply chain security.
When asked Friday if Mexico would go it alone on a trade deal with the U.S., Roberto Velasco Álvarez shook his head and said all three countries that make up the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) have bilateral issues to work on.
"[CUSMA] is a trilateral agreement, and of course the three countries agree that that architecture should continue," he said during a joint news conference with Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand in Ottawa on Friday.
Mexico has held a number of official negotiations with the U.S. and appears to be further ahead in trade talks than Canada.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Wednesday that formal trade talks with Mexico were progressing, while discussions with Canada had yet to produce concessions sought by President Donald Trump as he pushes to reduce U.S. trade deficits with the two countries.
CUSMA trilateral 'architecture' should continue: Mexican foreign minister
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in