Mexico, US agree to working group on trucking

MEXICO CITY

Mexico and the United States have agreed to set up a working group to discuss a cross-border trucking dispute.

The two countries say a solution to the issue of giving Mexican trucks access to U.S. interior states, and vice versa, is "the highest priority."

Mexico's secretary of communications and transport met with his U.S. counterpart in Mexico City on Monday to discuss that and other issues.

In early 2009, Mexico slapped tariffs on 89 U.S. products worth about $2.4 billion in retaliation for a U.S. decision to cancel a cross-border program for Mexican truckers.

The North American Free Trade Agreement required the U.S. to grant Mexican trucks full access by January 2000, but domestic opposition stymied that opening.