Mexico’s foreign minister expresses ‘worry and irritation’ in talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

Luis Videgaray raises concerns over 'US policies that could be harmful for the national interest' at a joint news conference with Donald Trump's top envoy

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray shake hands (Reuters)

Mexico’s foreign minister has expressed "worry and irritation" about US policies to two of President Donald Trump's top envoys sent to cool tempers after weeks of tension between the countries.

After talks in the Mexican capital with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security chief John Kelly, Luis Videgaray told reporters: "There exists among Mexicans worry and irritation about what are perceived to be policies that could be harmful for the national interest and for Mexicans here and abroad.”

Mr Videgaray said it was a "complex time" for US-Mexico relations, which have gone downhill quickly since Mr Trump was elected president last November.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Tillerson said he and Mexican officials had discussed deep differences between their countries.

He also vowed to continue a dialogue about their disputes, saying it was natural for "two strong, sovereign" countries to disagree at times.

Relations were put under further strain this week when the US said it would seek to deport many illegal immigrants to Mexico if they entered the country from the southern border, regardless of their nationality.

The immigration guidelines are the latest point of tension between neighbours that have also been at odds over Mr Trump's vow to build a wall on the border and his attempts to browbeat Mexico into giving concessions on trade.

Mr Videgaray and President Enrique Pena Nieto have been criticised at home for being too willing to engage with the former real-estate mogul, who has repeatedly cranked up tension with the country ahead of key meetings.

But both sides also pledged further dialogue on migration, trade and security issues facing both nations.

Mr Kelly and Mr Tillerson were much more measured in their words than either the Mexicans or Mr Trump, who earlier said a military operation was being carried out to clear "bad dudes" from the US.

“We’re getting drug lords out,” Mr Trump said at a White House meeting with business executives. “We’re getting really bad dudes out of this country, at a rate that nobody’s ever seen before.”

However Mr Kelly said there would be "no use of military force in immigration operations," and "no, repeat, no" mass deportations.

None of the officials made direct references to the deportation of immigrants from third countries to Mexico, or to paying for the border wall planned by Mr Trump, a red-flag issue for Mexico.

Additional reporting by agencies