Mexico FM to meet with top US officials in Washington

By Nancy Caouette

MEXICO CITY (AA) – Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray will meet U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security chief John Kelly, authorities here said Wednesday.

"It is expected that Minister Videgaray will discuss topics from the bilateral agenda that have been identified as priorities by President Enrique Peña Nieto such as protection of Mexicans in the United States, migration, security and border infrastructure,” the Mexican foreign ministry said in a statement.

Authorities said the two administrations decided not to discuss a controversial border wall in public.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders last month that ordered the construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border and he insisted Mexico would pay for the project.

Trump also threatened to renegotiate and scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and impose a 35 percent tariff on products such as cars made in Mexico.

Despite a diplomatic row between the U.S. and Mexico, Pena Nieto and Trump agreed to continue bilateral talks.

Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said Tuesday he spoke with Kelly via telephone and the two men agreed to soon meet in Mexico City.