"The energy issue is holding everything up," said one of them on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity.Asked this week about the energy issue, Lopez Obrador's designated trade negotiator, Jesus Seade, sought to downplay the matter, saying that while his team wanted to check the issue's "consistency with the constitution", it was not "substantive".Lopez Obrador, a leftist, opposed Pena Nieto's energy reform, and the issue is divisive within his own camp. Business-friendly aides back greater private investment in the oil and gas sector, while more nationalist allies are against it.Elected on July 1, Lopez Obrador takes office on Dec. 1.Another sticking point at the talks has been new rules of origin for automobile manufacturing, which U.S. negotiators hope will bring more production to the region.U.S. "Speaking outside the offices of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Guajardo commented on the difficulty of securing a final deal: "as you know ... there are always last moment things that can come between you and your goals. "As I've said, it really depends on how quickly the U.S. and Mexico are able to resolve those bilateral issues," she said. "The U.S.–Mexico issues inside NAFTA are really complicated."

Source: Egypt Today August 24, 2018 22:07 UTC