Obama and Calderon pledge unity in fighting drug cartels (Roundup)

May 19, 2010, 18:43 GMT

Washington - The United States and Mexico are strongly committed to fighting the violent drug cartels and cracking down on the trade of narcotics, the leaders of the two countries vowed Wednesday.

US President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon pledged to take steps on both sides of the border to go after the cartels behind a drug war in Mexico that has claimed thousands of lives.

'Mr President, you and the Mexican people have shown great resolve in a fight for the security and safety of your country,' Obama told Calderon. 'And as I've pledged to you before, Mexico can count on the United States as a full partner in this effort.'

Obama said the US government will continue to find ways to cut back on the demand for illicit drugs in the United States and has stepped up inspections of railways into Mexico to prevent arms from ending up in the hands of the cartels.

The United States has been the largest of sources of weapons getting into Mexico and used by the drug cartels, and the Mexican government has urged Washington to act against the flow of weapons.

'Through increased law enforcement on our side of the border, we're putting unprecedented pressure on those who traffic in guns, drugs and people,' Obama said. 'We're working to stem the south-bound flow of American guns and money, which is why, for the first time, we are now screening 100 per cent of south-bound rail cargo.'

Under the US Merida Initiative, the United States has provided Mexico with more than 1 billion dollars in training and equipment to help crack down on the cartels.

'We agreed upon the urgency of reinforcing the actions to stop the flow of drugs, weapons and cash,' Calderon said through a translator.

Calderon was to have lunch with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Obama will host the Mexican president for a state dinner Wednesday evening - among the highest honours afforded foreign leaders.

High on the agenda was a controversial immigration law passed by the state of Arizona in April that requires law enforcement to stop individuals suspected of being in the country illegally to check their papers. Critics, including Obama, charge that the law could lead to halting people based on their racial appearance.

'The Arizona law has the potential of being applied in a discriminatory fashion,' Obama said.

Obama said his administration is examining the legislation to determine whether the federal government should take legal action to block it based on whether it violates civil rights.

Calderon has been among the bill's most outspoken critics, charging that it could criminalize Mexicans legally residing in the United States.

'We will retain our firm rejection to criminalize migration so that people that work and provide things to this nation won't be treated as criminals,' he said, calling the law 'partial and discriminatory.'

Obama said it was a 'misdirected effort' in response to the growing frustration of the federal government to enact a comprehensive immigration law. He said his administration will continue to push for immigration reform.