WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT ON OBAMA PHOTOGRAPH

The spokesperson for the White House National Security Staff, Caitlin Hayden said that the photograph had been released simply to place emphasis on the close relationship maintained by the two leaders and call attention to their crucial conversation about the worsening situation in Syria.

Hayden said she had seen the commentaries about that photograph in the Turkish media and Washington attached great importance to the mature friendship between the peoples of Turkey and the United States.

She said further that President Obama values highly the close partnership and friendship with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a raft of subjects that the US cooperates with Turkey on.

Referring to the baseball bat President Obama holds in his hand while conversing with Erdoğan, Hayden said it was a bat signed by American sportman Hank Aaron.