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Obama, Calderon at odds over drug war

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-08-11 09:43

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon (L) leaves with US President Barack Obama after a news conference at the North American Leaders' Summit in Guadalajara August 10, 2009. [Agencies]

GUADALAJARA, Mexico: President Barack Obama pressed for a new tone in the United States' relationship with Mexico but found no immediate progress on Sunday on the divisions between him and Mexican President Felipe Calderon over the pace of US drug-fighting aid and a ban on Mexican trucks north of the border.

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Obama kicked off his second trip to Mexico as president with a friendly 45-minute meeting with Calderon that touched on the vast trade relationship between their two countries, their cooperation on A(H1N1) flu and the violent Mexican gangs dominating the drug trade on both sides of the border. Their talks came before the start of a lightning-quick three-way summit between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Often called the "Three Amigos" summit, the meeting of Obama, Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper began over dinner. The summit's formal talks, the fifth for the three countries, are taking place Tuesday.

During the separate sit-down between Obama and Calderon, the Mexican leader raised his concerns about the speed of implementation of the United States' three-year, $1.4 billion drug-fighting package known as the Merida Initiative. One $100 million installment is being delayed over rising concerns among some in Congress about the Mexican army's abuse of civilians.

The US law requires Congress to withhold some funding unless the State Department reports Mexico is not violating human rights during its anti-cartel crackdown, which started in 2006.

Obama told Calderon that human rights is a major priority for him, but also assured him that the State Department is working to prepare a report that recognizes all Mexico's efforts to prevent abuses.

Calderon also quizzed Obama on his earlier promise to restore a canceled pilot program that had allowed Mexican truckers to travel into the United States, the official said.

The North American Free Trade Agreement required the United States to grant Mexican trucks full access to its highways by January 2000, but domestic opposition stalled that plan until a 2007 pilot program allowed some trucks. Facing opposition from US labor unions and consumer groups, Obama signed a spending bill that included a ban on spending for the program. Mexico retaliated by imposing tariffs on dozens of US products ranging from fruit to washing machines.

AP