MEXICO CITY, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Saturday he was optimistic about reaching an agreement with Washington over the proposed punitive tariffs on imported goods coming from Mexico.
"There is a willingness on the part of U.S. officials to establish a dialogue and reach agreements," Lopez Obrador told reporters at a press conference in Veracruz, a major port city on the Gulf of Mexico.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States will impose 5 percent tariffs on all Mexican imports on June 10 and gradually lift the tariffs only if "the illegal migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico."
In response, Lopez Obrador called for high-level bilateral talks to discuss the issue.
"I think (the talks) are going to have good results because there is a favorable environment for dialogue, both in Mexico and in the United States. It benefits us all to reach an agreement and not apply these measures," he said.
Leading the Mexican delegation to Washington on Friday, Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in a tweet translated from Spanish that "Mike Pompeo will head up the U.S. delegation. I will head the Mexican. There is a willingness to dialogue."
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