US President George W. Bush and his Mexican counterpart Vincent Fox discussed on Monday how to improve security and lower the level of violence along the US-Mexico border, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

"Primarily, they talked about the increased border violence, and the two leaders talked about the importance of working together to improve our border security and stop the violence," McClellan told reporters.

"Then they also talked about the security and prosperity partnership that was developed by Canada, Mexico and the United States, and talked about the possibility of meeting soon on that initiative," McClellan said.

Bush has designated Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to talk to his counterpart in Mexico about the border problem, McClellan added.

The United States and Mexico have been trading accusations against each other over problems in border security and the United States dispatched federal agents to Texas to combat violent crimes along the Mexico boarder late last year.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2006)