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U.S., Mexico continue NAFTA talks, unclear when Canada will again be included

Click to play video: 'Trudeau and Freeland talk tariffs, NAFTA at Vancouver Pride'
Trudeau and Freeland talk tariffs, NAFTA at Vancouver Pride
WATCH: Chrystia Freeland said Canada has been in close touch with Mexico on NAFTA since the Mexican election, while Justin Trudeau addressed concerns about tariffs at Vancouver's Pride parade on Sunday – Aug 5, 2018

Mexico’s Economy Minister said on Friday that bilateral talks with the United States over the future of the NAFTA trade deal will drag into next week, and the timing of Canada’s return to the negotiations will depend on how fast they resolve issues.

READ MORE: U.S., Mexico meeting in Washington to talk about NAFTA, but Canada is left out

Speaking as he left a meeting with the U.S. trade team in Washington, Ildefonso Guajardo said the return of Canada, the third country in the trillion dollar trade zone, would depend on solving bilateral elements in “the next few days or weeks.”

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The issues the two countries are hammering out include what percentage of auto industry components need to be made in North America to avoid tariffs, and how many cars and trucks need to be made in factories paying higher wages.

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The U.S.-Mexico talks for a reworked North American Free Trade Agreement resumed three weeks ago, without Canada, after negotiations involving all three members of one of the world’s largest trade blocs stalled in June.

Before he entered the meeting, Guajardo said Mexico was getting close to overcoming sticking points with the United States.

Asked if he could finish the U.S.-Mexico issues on Friday, Guajardo said “I don’t think today but we are very close.”

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