US, Mexican chief diplomats to meet amid tensions

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February 3, 2017 2:53 AM

Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray spoke on the phone with Rex Tillerson to congratulate him on his confirmation as secretary of state by the US Senate on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, seen January 23, 2017, spoke on the phone with Rex Tillerson to congratulate him on his confirmation as secretary of state by the US Senate on Wednesday, the Mexican foreign ministry said

Mexicos foreign minister and the new US secretary of state agreed Thursday to meet soon, the Mexican government said amid a diplomatic row between the neighbouring nations.

Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray spoke on the phone with Rex Tillerson to congratulate him on his confirmation as secretary of state by the US Senate on Wednesday, the Mexican foreign ministry said.

"They agreed to hold a meeting in the near future in order to move forward in the common challenges that Mexico and the United States face," the ministry said in a statement.

They discussed the "importance of the relationship" between the two countries and "stated their interest in working together, in a constructive and close manner, to strengthen bilateral relations to the benefit of both nations."

Videgaray traveled to New York on Thursday to meet with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and members of the Americas Society and Council of the Americas (AS/COA), a debate forum and regional business organization.

Relations between the strategic partners descended into the worst diplomatic crisis in decades last week as Trump insisted on making Mexico pay for a massive border wall to stem illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Pena Nieto vowed to never pay for the barrier, demanded respect for his nation and canceled a meeting with Trump in Washington.

The two presidents, however, spoke on the phone last Friday and instructed their teams to continue talks.

The United States, Mexico and Canada are preparing to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as demanded by Trump, who called the 23-year-old pact a "catastrophe" on Thursday.

Pena Nieto, meanwhile, vowed to defend Mexico's interests in the negotiations, which his economy minister said would start in May.

"In any agreement, in any pact with the United States or any other country in the world, the president will invariably act in the defense of Mexico's sovereignty and the interests of Mexicans," he said at a meeting of agricultural industry leaders.

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