North American leaders discuss Mexico's drug cartels
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama and the visiting leaders of Mexico and Canada on Monday pledged joint efforts to combat drug cartels in Mexico and expand international trade, including support for Canada and Mexico joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Citing the increasingly global nature of issues such as trade and security, the three leaders told reporters that what happens within the borders of their neighboring countries affects everyone in North America.
Obama repeated his previous support to reduce the demand for drugs in North America and slow the flow of guns and money across the border into Mexico.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon expressed appreciation for such efforts but also sounded frustrated with the continuing availability of weapons including assault rifles.
In particular, he said the expiration of the U.S. assault weapons ban in 2004 "coincided almost exactly with the beginning of the harshest period of violence we've ever seen ... during my government."
