MEXICO CITY, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Mexico on Friday described U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of his intent to sign a newly renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico as a "step forward," but hoped Canada could be included in.
"I hope that Canada joins, that it (NAFTA) is a tripartite agreement as it was when it began, and that it isn't a bilateral agreement," Mexican president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told a press conference.
"In the case of Mexico, progress has already been made, but there is no reason to exclude Canada. We hope that the Canadian and U.S. governments understand that," said the president-elect, who will take office on Dec. 1.
Also on Monday, outgoing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto insisted during a phone call with Trump that Canada should also be included in a final deal.
Trump announced on Monday that the United States has reached a trade agreement with Mexico that would pave the way for overhauling the NAFTA.
U.S. President Donald Trump has notified Congress of his intent to sign the trade agreement with Mexico, with Canada welcome to join the deal "if it is willing," the White House said.
The United States and Canada ended their first round of bilateral negotiations without reaching an agreement on Friday and will restart talks on Sept. 5.
In a brief statement on Monday, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo and Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Videgaray, said that they will continue following U.S.-Canada negotiations.
"Mexico will participate in negotiations on trilateral issues while continuing to push for an agreement including Canada," said the ministers.
Talks on renegotiating the NAFTA began in August 2017 as Trump threatened to withdraw from the trilateral trade deal, which he claimed harmed U.S. industries and jobs.
