Pubdate: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 Source: El Paso Times (TX) Copyright: 2009 El Paso Times Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/formnewsroom Website: http://www.elpasotimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829 Author: Diana Washington Valdez 'STRONGER' U.S.-MEXICO BOND SOUGHT BY OBAMA EL PASO -- Over a bowl of tortilla soup, President-elect Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa talked about the drug cartel wars, the environment, immigration, trade and the economy during an informal meeting Monday in Washington, D.C. Their encounter took place at a critical juncture of binational relations, with both sides of the border feeling the effects of a global recession, questions over the future of free trade and escalating drug violence. Regarding their 90-minute meeting at the Mexican Cultural Center, Obama said, "The friendship between the U.S. and Mexico has been strong. I believe it can be even stronger." Later, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the incoming U.S. president pledged to find ways to work with Mexico to reduce drug-related violence, stop the flow of arms from the U.S. to Mexico and improve NAFTA with stronger labor and environmental provisions. Obama also said he was committed to working with Congress to fix the "broken U.S. immigration system," Gibbs said. Calderon said he left the meeting relieved he and Obama will be able to work on issues of mutual concern. "In general, we touched on various issues, from security to regional competition in North American, including with Mexico and Canada," Calderon said in a statement. "We also talked about matters of mutual concern, such as the environment, Mexico's proposed green (environmental) fund, and on our need to work together on the critical economic situation the world faces. I proposed we form a strategic alliance between our two governments to confront the problems we have in common, and which we ought to resolve jointly, including security. I believe a more secure Mexico also means the United States will be more secure." To underscore the paramount concern over U.S.-Mexico security, U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, a Democrat who represents a district that includes East El Paso County, and who serves on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, announced Monday his House proposal to reduce border violence by cracking down on arms-trafficking. U.S. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., introduced similar legislation Monday in the Senate, which would provide $15 million in 2010-2011 to expand the U.S. Justice Department's "Gunrunner" initiative. "We have made some progress in stopping the ruthless drug cartels, but illegal trafficking of guns into Mexico continues and we are a long way from keeping people along the border as safe as they deserve to be," she said. Bingaman, who echoed statements by Hutchison and Rodriguez, said, "We must .. take immediate action to keep these weapons out of the hands of violent drug gangs." U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, also met with Calderon on Monday, along with other Democratic leaders of Congress. "The U.S. Congress has already committed resources through the Merida Initiative to help Mexico continue its efforts to defeat the drug cartels and reduce the violence," Reyes said. "I look forward to working together with my colleagues in Congress, President-elect Obama and President Calderon to continue these efforts to help restore peace and stability in Mexico" The Merida Initiative is aimed at helping Mexico and other Latin American countries curb drug-related violence and Congress has authorized a three-year $1.6 billion program that will help train law enforcement over the next three years. New Democrat Network President Simon Rosenberg, president of NDN in Washington, praised the meeting, which he also described as "the start of a new day for U.S.-Mexico relations." NDN is a think tank focusing on new media and technology, a new governing agenda and new demographics. "Never before has a U.S.Epresident been elected by such an overwhelming number of Hispanics in the United States," Rosenberg said. "The United States now has the third largest Latin population in the Americas and the futures of the United States and Mexico are bound together as never before. Hemispheric relations have taken a backseat for too long. Today's meeting is the first step to a genuine and sustained partnership that addressesEpressing regional and global challenges. It is the start of a new day for U.S.-Mexico relations." - --- The Associated Press contributed to this story. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom