Canadian Trudeau calls for US flexibility in NAFTA negotiations

We are interested in what could be good business for Canada, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday he wants to see US flexibility to reach an agreement to renew NAFTA, something Washington insists must be done by the end of the month.

Canada seeks to soften the growing demands of President Donald Trump's government for Ottawa to make concessions that the United States says are vital to reaching an agreement that modernizes the North American Free Trade Agreement.

We are interested in what could be good business for Canada, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa, as per Reuters.

Canadian Chancellor Chrystia Freeland met with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in a fourth round of talks in four weeks in Washington, while the parties disagree on some important issues.

Freeland, after the afternoon negotiations, told reporters that they had been constructive and stressed that he would meet again with Lighthizer on Thursday.

We are a country that is good at achieving compromises and that is a talent that our negotiators certainly demonstrate. At the same time, our main objective (...) is to defend the national interest, he said.

Trump announced last month an agreement with Mexico, the third member of NAFTA and warned Canada that it is willing to leave it out of the pact if the consensus is not reached on more favorable terms for its country.

Both nations are trying to bring their positions closer to dispute resolution mechanisms and deal with the US demand for greater access to Canada's dairy market.