Mexico's president, Trump agree to keep wall dispute private

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Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday agreed to keep a bitter and ongoing dispute over a border wall project out of the public realm, Mexico's office of the presidency said.

The two "spoke for an hour by telephone," a day after Pena Nieto canceled a meeting with Trump that was scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

Aerial picture of urban fencing on the border between Mexico and the US at El Nido del Aguila, outskirts of Tijuana, northwestern Mexico on January 26, 2017. /CFP Photo

Pena Nieto canceled the visit after Trump tweeted there was no point in meeting if Mexico was not prepared to pay for a wall along the southern border of the US.

The statement from the Mexican president's office read: "In regard to paying for the border wall, both presidents acknowledged their clear and very public positions on such a sensitive issue, and agreed to resolve these differences as part of a comprehensive discussion on all aspects of the bilateral relationship."

Both "also agreed to not talk about this controversial matter in public for now."

Donald Trump (R), then the Republican nominee for US president, addresses a joint press conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (L) after their meeting in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, on August 31, 2016. /Xinhua Photo

Pena Nieto and Trump have instructed their teams "to continue to dialogue to strengthen this important strategic and economic relationship in a constructive way," the Mexican president's office added.

The leaders had a "constructive and productive conversation" on bilateral ties, "including the US' trade deficit with Mexico, the importance of the friendship between our two nations, the need for our countries to work together to stop drug trafficking and the illegal flow of arms," the office said.

Surprisingly, no mention was made of illegal immigration from Latin America, especially Mexico, to the US.

Trump has said the wall is needed to keep out illegal migrants, as well as prevent trafficking.

The call was "arranged by their work teams," the office said.

(Source: Xinhua)