OBAMA FACES A MAJOR TEST

President Barack Obama has been busy in his first three months on the
job, both at home and abroad. And although he recently returned from
the G-20 summit in London, his trip to Mexico to visit with President
Felipe Calderon is one of the first real tests of Obama's diplomatic
skills, and of the policies he will follow.

The two heads of state met Thursday in advance of the Summit of the
Americas later this week in Trinidad and Tobago.

It isn't their first meeting. Like his recent predecessors, Obama met
with the Mexican president shortly before his inauguration. Now as
president he met more formally with Calderon to discuss key matters
that affect both countries.

And they had plenty to talk about. On several major issues the two
leaders can march together as allies or face off in disagreement.

One matter both have mentioned is the growing violence among drug
dealers in Mexico, which has begun spilling north of the border.
Mexican officials increasingly blame the availability of U.S. arms
that drug dealers have acquired, while north of the border we blame
Mexico's inability to control the drug gangs.

The drug war itself is another, albeit tangential matter. We fault
the availability of drugs coming from the south while Mexico points
the finger at the U.S. demand that creates such a lucrative market.

Obviously, the profits that can be made in the drug trade are a major
factor in the violence. It is drug prohibition, however, that makes
the sale of illegal drugs so lucrative.

Although no-tolerance drug policies remain popular, officials in both
countries appear to be coming to their senses. Obama is on record as
saying penalties for marijuana use are too high, and that the
substance could have valid medical uses. Members of Mexico's Congress
also have suggested decriminalizing marijuana.

Trade is another issue that could unite or split the two countries.
In response to the U.S. Congress' clampdown of a pilot program
allowing Mexican freight truckers access to U.S. roads - which is a
provision of the North American Free Grade Agreement signed in 1994 -
Mexico recently imposed punitive tariffs on many U.S. products. The
two leaders should agree to joint efforts to conform to the standing
agreements, as well as continue working to promote open trade between
residents of the two countries.

Immigration also remains a principal issue. Open travel and
immigration between the two countries would benefit both. The driving
force behind the high level of Mexican immigration to the United
States is the disparity in economic opportunities. For his part,
Calderon should commit to making it easier for his countrymen to
establish businesses that can keep workers from looking elsewhere for
jobs. At the same time, Obama should pledge to reform immigration
restrictions that make it harder for U.S. companies to find workers.
It's been proven that those workers don't take jobs from Americans,
and the money they send back to their homes in Mexico only help that
country develop; we hope that development eventually will leave
Mexican workers little reason to leave their homeland, while creating
new business and trade opportunities on both sides of the border.

Certainly, these complex issues can't be resolved in one day.
However, this meeting could well set the tone for future dealings
between the two leaders, and determine how productive their
relationship might be.