Mexico invites U.S. trade team to third round of energy consultations

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai attends a meeting with ASEAN leaders and U.S. business representatives as part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) U.S.- ASEAN Special Summit, in Washington, U.S., May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

Mexico's Economy Ministry has invited U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai's team to hold third round of energy consultations in the coming days in Mexico City, according to an economy ministry statement published Thursday.

Mexico's Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro met on Thursday with U.S. Trade Representative Tai to work on solutions for the energy and environmental consultations requested for Mexico, according to the statement.

Buenrostro proposed establishing working groups, which would meet during December and early January to discuss the different aspects of the energy consultations.

FILE PHOTO: Mexico's economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro delivers a speech during an event with business association representatives to discuss targets for "Black Friday" shopping season, in Mexico City, Mexico, October 19, 2022. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

The progress would then be presented at the North American Leaders' Summit, set to be held in Mexico during January 9-10 next year.

Mexican authorities stressed that they were seeking to resolve the dispute in the consultation phase and avoid the need to resort to arbitration panels, the statement said.

Mexico's foreign ministry is also preparing a meeting with other high-level authorities and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the statement added.

(Reporting by Valentine Hilaire and Kylie Madry; Editing by Sarah Morland)