'No evidence of jihadis in Mexico'

Mexico City, Aug 25 (IANS/EFE) There is no evidence to support the comments by Texas Governor Rick Perry that jihadis could enter the US via the southern border, Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Jose Antonio Meade said Saturday.

"It is very unfortunate that some people make foreign policy on the basis of beliefs, suppositions and completely unfounded and absurd analyses," Meade said.

Perry in an address last week said there was a "very real possibility" that Islamic State (IS) terrorists may have entered the US by crossing the southern border.

"Mexico makes its public policy on the basis of intelligence, founded on analysis, and it re-proves those who make public policy on the basis of beliefs and unfounded speculation," Meade said.

Texas and Mexico have "a relationship of communities, a relationship of societies, of very important business communities", the foreign relations secretary said, adding that trade between his country and the US state totalled $196 billion annually.

--IANS/EFE

pv/vr