Mexico on Sunday reaffirmed its position not to pay for a U.S.-proposed border wall between the two countries, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump once again tweeted about the issue.
"As the Mexican government has always stated, our country will not pay, under any circumstances, for a wall or physical barrier built on U.S. territory along the Mexican border," the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The response came after an early morning tweet by Trump, who posted "With Mexico being one of the highest crime nations in the world, we must have THE WALL. Mexico will pay for it through reimbursement/other."
Mexico also made it clear its policy was not a negotiating tactic in ongoing talks over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
"This statement is not part of a Mexican negotiating strategy, but rather a principle of national sovereignty and dignity," the ministry said.
Mexico noted the United States and its "high demand for drugs" was partly to blame for drug-related crime, and called for teamwork to overcome the problem.
