Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to comment about reports that indicate the U.S. is in talks with Meng Wanzhou about a deal.
A report from the Wall Street Journal claims that the Huawei CFO could be set free in exchange for admitting criminal wrongdoing.
Trudeau told reporters on December 4th that his top priority was the return of the two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.
It’s been more than two years since Vancouver authorities arrested Meng in December 2018 at the request of the United States for violating sanctions in Iran. Shortly after the arrest, two Canadians were detained in China, which has been seen as retaliation for Meng’s arrest.
“We will continue working hard for the return of the two Michaels. Two years is a very long time to be in prison in China, or anywhere. We will continue to do all the work that’s necessary to get them back,” Trudeau said.
It’s possible that this deal could resolve a case that has strained ties between Canada, China and the United States. However, experts have said that a potential return for Meng may not guarantee the release of Michael Kovrig and Michel Spavor.
Former diplomat Colin Robertson told CTV News that this potential deal is only the first step and that negotiations with China are a long process.
“We look at negotiations through different ends of the telescope and that can lead to misunderstandings. It can also lead to false optimism, which is I’m afraid we might be encouraging right now,” Robertson said.
Further, another issue that complicated the return of the Canadians is the fact that China has repeatedly denied that their detainment was related to Meng’s arrest.
Source: CTV News
