WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on talks between the U.S. and Canada (all times local):

___

1:50 p.m.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the detention of two Canadian citizens in China is unlawful and is calling for them to be released.

China detained the two Canadians this week in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive in Canada on behalf of the United States.

Pompeo spoke after he and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with their Canadian counterparts in Washington on Friday.

The talks came amid the escalating dispute with China, which threatens to further complicate ties between the North American neighbors.

___

1:45 p.m.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland says she and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agree that politics should not be an issue in the case of a top Chinese tech executive who was arrested in Canada on behalf of the United States.

President Donald Trump said this week that he might intervene in the case if it would help clinch a trade agreement with China. That contradicted Canadian officials who said the arrest was not political.

Freeland met with Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Friday.

Canada arrested the chief financial officer of telecoms giant Huawei (WAH’-way) on Dec. 1 because the U.S. wants her extradited on charges she and her company violated sanctions on Iran.

China arrested two Canadians in apparent retaliation.

___

11:47 a.m.

Canada’s ambassador to China has received consular access to detained ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig four days after he was arrested in China.

Canada’s Global Affairs Department says Ambassador John McCallum met with Kovrig in Beijing on Friday.

The department says they are continuing to press for access to another Canadian, entrepreneur Michael Spavor, who was also detained in China on Monday. The two were arrested in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive on behalf of the United States.

Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei, on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States. The U.S. wants her extradited to face charges that she and her company misled banks about the company’s business dealings in Iran. A Canadian judge released Meng on bail Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis were meeting their Canadian counterparts on Friday for discussions expected to be dominated by the arrests.

__

11:04 a.m.

The U.S. and Canada are holding high-stakes talks amid an escalating dispute with China that threatens to further complicate ties between the North American neighbors.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis were meeting their Canadian counterparts on Friday for discussions expected to be dominated by Canada’s arrest of a Chinese tech executive at Washington’s request. China has detained two Canadians in apparent retaliation.

The case has set off a three-way diplomatic furor in which Canada is stuck in the middle.

Canada arrested the chief financial officer of telecoms giant Huawei (WAH’-way) on Dec. 1. The U.S. wants her extradited on charges she and her company violated sanctions on Iran. But a Canadian judge released her on bail Tuesday.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.