MEXICO CITY — The latest round of NAFTA talks has begun without any substantive negotiating on key sticking points in a low-key meeting contrasting markedly with the previous round filled with bombshell demands and public scoldings. Sources said it was unlikely any major counter-demands would be tabled as negotiating teams began meeting on Saturday in key topic areas that figured in the acrimony of the previous round. They said there’s clearly a desire to lower the political temperature after lead ministers Chrystia Freeland, Robert Lighthizer and Ildefonso Guajardo practically debated on stage at the closing news conference of the previous round. Journalists hungry for stories from this round staked out the hallways in a mostly unsuccessful hunt for news. “It’s wonderful to see that labour and wage reform is getting coverage in the Mexican media,” Dias tweeted.

Source: National Post November 18, 2017 23:32 UTC