Trump, Mexican President Talk On Phone After Cancelled Meeting

PHILADELPHIA (CBS/CNN) -- President Donald Trump and Mexican President Peña Nieto spoke by phone Friday morning after he cancelled a scheduled meeting set for next week.

According to a the press secretary, the two spoke for an hour and it was a "productive and constructive call regarding the bilateral relationship between the two countries."

Mexico's President Says He Will Not Attend Scheduled Meeting With President Trump

The statement says in part: 'The two had a productive and constructive call regarding the bilateral relationship between the two countries, the current trade deficit the United States has with Mexico, the importance of the friendship between the two nations, and the need for the two nations to work together to stop drug cartels, drug trafficking and illegal guns and arms sales.

With respect to payment for the border wall, both presidents recognize their clear and very public differences of positions on this issue but have agreed to work these differences out as part of a comprehensive discussion on all aspects of the bilateral relationship.'

The statement concluded that both presidents told their teams to continue the dialogue to strengthen "this important strategic and economic relationship in a constructive way."

Trump Wants 20% Tax On Imports From Mexico To Pay For Wall 

The discussion comes after Peña Nieto cancelled a meeting with Trump that had been set for next week after the White House moved forward with plans to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and Trump tweeted that the meeting shouldn't go ahead if Mexico wasn't prepared to pay for its construction.

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