Mexico: We will not pay for Trump border wall

Mexico will not pay for Donald Trump's border wall,
 the country's president has said in a message to the nation.

Enrique Pena Nieto said he "lamented" the plans for the barrier, adding that "Mexico doesn't believe in walls".

But he made no mention of cancelling or postponing a
 trip to Washington on 31 January to meet the new US president.

Mr Trump has signed an executive order for an "impassable physical barrier" and has insisted Mexico
 will reimburse the US for it.

Mr Pena Nieto told the nation in a televised address: 
"I've said time and again; Mexico won't pay for any wall.

"I regret and condemn the decision of the United States 
to continue construction of a wall that, for years, has 
divided us instead of uniting us."

But Mr Pena Nieto said his country offered "its friendship
 to the American people and its willingness to reach
 accords with their government".

Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray - in Washington 
to lead a delegation that has held talks at the White House - told the Televisa network the president was still weighing 
next Tuesday's visit but said "the meeting stands for now".

Mr Pena Nieto met Mr Trump - then a presidential 
candidate - in Mexico City in September and came 
under intense criticism at home and his current
 approval ratings are low.

Mr Trump said in an interview tha Mexico would 
"absolutely, 100%" reimburse the US for  his wall.

But Congress would have to approve funding for the 
structure, which is estimated to cost billions of dollars.

Building a 2,000 mile (3,200km) barrier along the Mexican border was one of Mr Trump's key pledges in the election campaign.

He spoke of a "crisis" on the southern US border as he 
signed the directives during a ceremony at the Department
 of Homeland Security on Wednesday.

The orders also called for hiring 10,000 immigration 
officials to help boost border patrol efforts.

"A nation without borders is not a nation," he said. 
"Beginning today the United States gets back control of
 its borders."

The executive orders are among a flurry expected on
 national and border security this week.

Mr Trump is next expected to announce immigration 
restrict ins from seven countries with Muslim-majority populations in the Middle East and Africa. This could 
affect refugee programmes.

These countries are believed to be Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen.


In other developments:

UK Prime Minister Theresa May will press to renew the 
UK's special relationship with the US as she prepares to become the first world leader to hold face to face talks 
with the new president

Mr Trump said he believed waterboarding - widely
 considered a form of torture - works , but that he 
would rely on the advice of Defence Secretary James 
Mattis and CIA director Mike Pompeo