Uncertainty Over Nafta Negotiations Making US Energy Industry Edgy

摘要

The US energy sector is on edge after renegotiations wrapped up last week over the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), though the treaty's unraveling is still considered an unlikely worst-case scenario. After the talks, observers cited positive signals that modernizing the 24-year-old treaty is doable, despite President Trump's threat to walk away - which include a recent Tweet calling Nafta a "bad joke." Good signs include progress cited by negotiators and willingness by Canada and Mexico to show some flexibility over Trump administration positions previously considered nonstarters. And Duncan Wood, director of the Mexico Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center, said Trump's "single most important statement" of late with respect to Nafta was the president's recent recognition that flexibility may be needed on Nafta ahead of Mexico's upcoming presidential election.