BRITAIN, MEXICO AIM TO DOUBLE TRADE BY 2015

Mexico City, March 30 (Reuters)- Mexico and Britain committed on Tuesday to doubling bilateral trade to 4.2 billion pounds ($6.7 billion) by 2015, the British government said.

Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who is on an official visit to Mexico, made the announcement following talks with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

Mexico currently runs a modest trade deficit with Britain, according to the economy ministry. Imports from Britain are led by Scotch whisky, chemicals and pharmaceutical products. Mexico's principal exports to the UK are precious metals and telecommunications equipment.

Mexico relies heavily on exports for economic growth and has sought to reduce its reliance on the U.S. market in recent years but still ships more than 80 percent of its exports to its neighbor to the north.

Clegg was accompanied by representatives of 20 British firms during his visit to Mexico.

British trade with Latin America rose by 30 percent last year. Bilateral trade with Mexico, Britain's No. 2 trading partner in the region after Brazil, rose by a third in 2010.

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