TEHRAN, Jun 1- Mexico wants to sharpen existing measures in its bid to narrow a flood of Central American migrants to the U.S. border, a top Mexican official said on Friday, ahead of planned meetings in Washington over tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Trump on Thursday said he would introduce the tariffs, starting at 5% on June 10 and quickly ratcheting higher if Mexico did not substantially halt illegal immigration, largely from Central America, across the U.S.-Mexican border.
"To avoid these flows that go from Central America to the United States in large numbers I think we can make progress with traditional mechanisms and better exercise existing rules," said Jesus Seade, Mexico's deputy foreign minister for North America.
Asked if Mexico might agree to be classified as a "safe third country" where asylum seekers would have to lodge claims instead of the United States, he replied, "That is not something we are working with."
Seade declined to give further details of what more Mexico could do to stem immigration, citing the delicate nature of the talks in Washington.
Trump's ultimatum is the biggest foreign policy test yet for Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and a tall order for security forces already struggling to reduce migrant flows and combat record levels of gang violence and homicide.
Source: Reuters
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