The death of Mexico’s top Cabinet secretary has forced President Barack Obama to postpone plans to host a North American summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific summit.

The White House said today that Obama still expects to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper during the APEC sessions in Hawaii. But a three-way summit with Mexican President Felipe Calderon will take place at a future date.

Calderon’s interior secretary and right-hand man, Francisco Blake Mora, was killed Friday in a helicopter crash southwest of Mexico City. Calderon canceled his summit trip to stay home and lead the mourning for Blake Mora.