Mexico City, Mexico - Mexican and US officials met to discuss the use of force by US federal agents on the border in an effort to reduce violent incidents during the apprehension of migrants, the Foreign Relations Secretariat said.

US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske, US Border Patrol officials, and US Embassy personnel participated in the meeting, the secretariat said.

Mexican Deputy Foreign Relations Secretary for North America Sergio Alcocer Martinez and Mexican Ambassador to the United States Eduardo Medina Mora represented Mexico at the meeting, which was held in Mexico City.

Mexico said releasing the Border Patrol's manual on the use of force would be a positive step, showing "the guidelines and rules for the use of less lethal force when agents make detentions of migrants on the border," the secretariat said.

President Enrique Peña Nieto and Foreign Relations Secretary Jose Antonio Meade had agreed with US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to maintain a dialogue to prevent violent incidents on the border.

The Foreign Relations Secretariat and US Customs and Border Protection agreed on a system for dialogue that will help identify possible areas for cooperation. The two sides also agreed that Mexican consular personnel can help train US immigration officers to gain an understanding of how to handle situations with migrants.

Officials agreed that early alert and complaint procedures, as well as campaigns to get the word out about the dangers of illegal crossings in border communities, can be improved, the secretariat said.

The meeting with Kerlikowske shows the Mexican government's commitment to continue "looking out for the safety of Mexicans who decide to migrate, assuring that they will receive dignified treatment and respect for their human rights," the secretariat said.