Mexico minister says U.S. studying NAFTA rules of origin proposal

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo said on Monday that the country has put forward a proposal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement's contentious rules of origin, and that the United States is studying it.

He also said that Canada, which is not participating in U.S.-Mexico talks that began in Washington two weeks ago after months of negotiations between the three trade partners, could join next week, depending on progress in the next few days between Mexico and the United States.

Guajardo, speaking to reporters after an event in Mexico City, added that he will return to Washington mid-week.

(Reporting by Adriana Barrera, Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel)