Canada: Charest says fed election slowed Canada-EU trade talks; still hopes for 2011 deal

The federal election slowed down negotiations to strike a free trade deal between Canada and the European Union but Quebec Premier Jean Charest says he's hopeful an accord will be struck on deadline.

A new session of talks has been scheduled for July and will be crucial because the end of the year is the target date for a deal to be clinched. "We recognize that this will be the most difficult period," Charest told a news conference. "The most difficult challenges always come at the end."

In theory, the deal will open a market of 500 million people to Canada and the EU.

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