Mexico foreign minister vents 'irritation' at Rex Tillerson

Politics 10:42 24.02.2017

 Mexico's foreign minister has expressed "irritation" to President Donald Trump's envoys about recent US policies towards its southern neighbour.

Luis Videgaray said he had told visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that Mexico was worried about respect for immigrants' rights.
 
Mr Tillerson said in Mexico City that "two strong sovereign countries" would have differences from time to time.
 
Relations between the neighbours are at their lowest point for decades.
 
A US plan, unveiled this week, to expel to Mexico all illegal immigrants found crossing the US border regardless of nationality has angered Mexicans most.
 
The body language at Thursday's meeting between the American and Mexican officials certainly did not suggest that ties had miraculously warmed in the space of a meal and a meeting, but the tone from both sides was more conciliatory than in recent weeks, the BBC's Will Grant reports from Mexico City.
 
'Hurt feelings'
 
Speaking first, Foreign Minister Videgaray said rebuilding the relationship would be a long process and would not be easy. He urged all concerned to "overcome the grievances and hurt feelings" to create a relationship based on trust and friendship.
 
"There's a concern among Mexicans, there's irritation [about] what has been perceived as policies that might be harmful for the Mexicans and for the Mexican industry," he said.
 
Secretary Tillerson spoke next, saying as a native Texan he had always considered Mexico a "very close neighbour", and echoing his counterpart's spirit of co-operation.
 
"In a relationship filled with vibrant colours," he said of the two nations, "there will always be differences".
 
Those differences were complicated further by the Trump administration's new guidelines on deportation of undocumented immigrants, especially those with criminal records.
 
It fell to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to reassure his hosts that there would be "no mass deportations" and no use of the US military in immigration enforcement.
 
That appeared to directly contradict what President Trump had said earlier in the day when he told a meeting of manufacturing CEOs that his administration had been getting "really bad dudes" out of the United States - before specifically stating that it was a "military operation".
 
Mr Tillerson and Mr Kelly later met Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto behind closed doors before returning to Washington.
 
The Trump administration issued a new policy on Tuesday targeting millions of illegal immigrants for possible deportation, mirroring a previous executive order signed by the president.
 
The new policy, which seeks to step up enforcement of existing US immigration laws, widens the net on deportation and speeds up their removal.
 
It also calls for sending back to Mexico immigrants caught crossing the border illegally, irrespective of where they are from, and deporting anyone charged with, or convicted of, any crime.
 
President Trump has insisted that Mexico will pay billions for a wall along the US border, which prompted Mr Nieto to cancel a planned Washington visit late last month.
 
Both US and Mexican officials made no mention of Mr Trump's proposed wall at the news conference on Thursday.
 
Mr Trump has also ordered a report, due on Friday, listing all foreign aid the US provides to Mexico.
 
It is unclear why he requested the review, but its inclusion in Mr Trump's executive order on constructing a wall along the southern border suggests he may use it for leverage in negotiations with Mexico.
 
Mexican officials are also concerned about Mr Trump's pledge to renegotiate trade partnerships between the two countries.
 
The president has proposed to levy a 20% tax on Mexican imports to pay for a border wall.
 
Democratic senators urged Mr Tillerson and Mr Kelly to work through tensions with their Mexican counterparts on Thursday.
 
"We urge you to use your visit to disavow vitriolic rhetoric and forge a strong partnership based on mutual respect with the government of Mexico," the senators wrote in an open letter.

 

Azerbaijan takes measures to turn Khankandi into safe city - VİDEO

News line

Ammunition found along route of Crocus City Hall terrorists
Ammunition found along route of Crocus City Hall terrorists
13:41 28.03.2024
Expert Ilyas Huseynov Predicts Peaceful Return of these territories to Azerbaijan
13:20 28.03.2024
Azerbaijan weather forecast for March 29
Azerbaijan weather forecast for March 29
12:55 28.03.2024
Russian MFA concerned about upcoming Armenia-US-EU meeting
12:23 28.03.2024
Secret Points of Pashinyan's Meeting with French Representative: Is Peace Agreement Signing Imminent?
12:00 28.03.2024
Armenia announces recruitment of border guards to work at Zvartnots
Armenia announces recruitment of border guards to work at Zvartnots
11:47 28.03.2024
The US-Armenia-EU Joint Conference is a part of the pressure plan on Azerbaijan - MP Konul Nurullayeva
11:30 28.03.2024
Azerbaijan’s central bank reduces discount rate
Azerbaijan’s central bank reduces discount rate
11:23 28.03.2024
CSTO chief: ‘Yerevan doesn’t participate in our work, but there are no statements about suspension’
11:13 28.03.2024
Ammunition found in Khankandi
Ammunition found in Khankandi
11:00 28.03.2024
Russia had been aware of preparation for terrorist attack at Crocus - says intelligience chief
10:46 28.03.2024
Scholtz reveals date of his last telephone conversation with Putin
Scholtz reveals date of his last telephone conversation with Putin
10:33 28.03.2024
Head of the SSS: France is inciting Armenia to a new war
10:21 28.03.2024
Are we in the brink of World War III? - Pundit talks on Ednews
10:10 28.03.2024
Azerbaijan's National Security: Reflecting on 105 Years of Defending Sovereignty
09:55 28.03.2024
Hikmat Hajiyev: Rasmussen fell in forgetfulness to attach payment to his report
09:35 28.03.2024
Hand grenades found in Kalbajar
09:25 28.03.2024
Titanic 'door' prop that kept Rose alive sells for $718,750
Titanic 'door' prop that kept Rose alive sells for $718,750
08:50 28.03.2024
Twitch's biggest streamer diagnosed with cancer diagnosis at 32
23:55 27.03.2024
Azerbaijan's former Minister of National Security passes away
22:41 27.03.2024
Russia has no unfriendly states, only unfriendly elites — Putin
22:25 27.03.2024
Erdogan vows to make efforts for implementation of UN resolution regarding Gaza
Erdogan vows to make efforts for implementation of UN resolution regarding Gaza
21:44 27.03.2024
Russian MFA: France's presence in the Caucasus is of an intelligence nature
21:00 27.03.2024
Record numbers of migrants arrive in UK in 2024
20:42 27.03.2024
Leo Docherty appointed new UK Minister of State for Armed Forces
Leo Docherty appointed new UK Minister of State for Armed Forces
19:34 27.03.2024
MFA: ‘We reject anti-Azerbaijani allegations in the report prepared by Friends of Armenia Network’
19:00 27.03.2024
Armenian Speaker: We are looking for people who consider those villages to be Armenian territory
18:42 27.03.2024
France evacuates over 170 nationals from Haiti
France evacuates over 170 nationals from Haiti
18:19 27.03.2024
Iran's Concerns Over Enclave Villages Return Highlight Geopolitical Complexities - Iranian political scientest talks on Ednews
18:00 27.03.2024
New details of the Crocus terrorist attack have been revealed - two suspects transited through Türkiye
17:33 27.03.2024
Political Scientist Turab Rzayev Weighs in on Armenia's "Great Armenia" Ambitions: Pashinyan's Realism or Rhetoric?
17:00 27.03.2024
Armenian did not join statement of CSTO PA condemning terrorist act in Crocus
Armenian did not join statement of CSTO PA condemning terrorist act in Crocus
16:39 27.03.2024
Political Scientist Criticizes EU Representative's Remarks on Azerbaijani Media Threats Against Armenia
15:55 27.03.2024
Pele's record in Brazilian national team broken
Pele's record in Brazilian national team broken
15:27 27.03.2024
Simonyan: Yerevan, Moscow not discuss withdrawal of Russian border guards from Armenian-Turkish border
15:18 27.03.2024
Tofig Abbasov: Armenia Seeks to Amplify Anti-Azerbaijani Sentiments in Georgia
15:01 27.03.2024
Russian parliament asks for investigation into 'western financing of terrorist acts'
14:46 27.03.2024
French company Delair to supply Ukraine with 400 reconnaissance drones
14:33 27.03.2024
Thailand moves to legalise same-sex marriage
Thailand moves to legalise same-sex marriage
14:19 27.03.2024
First residents to return to Khojaly in May
14:09 27.03.2024
Hamısı