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Turks outraged by Obama-Erdogan bat photo
August 4, 2012 - 13:13 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A photograph of U.S. President Barack Obama holding
a baseball bat while talking on the phone to Turkish Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan was intended to show their close relationship, a White
House spokeswoman said, after the photo caused a stir in Turkey.
The two leaders spoke on Monday, July 30 to discuss the crisis in
Syria, after which the photograph of Obama seated at his desk, talking
on the phone while holding a bat autographed by black-American
baseball great Hank Aaron, was released by the White House.
"The photo reveals from whom our Prime Minister receives orders to
rule the country," Metin Lutfi Baydar, a lawmaker with Turkey's main
opposition party the Republican People's Party (CHP), said in a
statement.
CHP vice president Umut Oran asked through parliament if Erdogan had
seen the picture and if he would take action against "an implicit
insult to Turkey and its citizens".
Some newspapers took a more lighthearted view, with columnist Ahmet
Hakan of Hurriyet writing: "We need to do something - retaliation
seems to be the most reasonable method."
"Our prime minister needs to hold something in his hand as he's
calling Obama," he added, suggesting as possible candidates a slipper,
a belt or a rolling pin.
White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a written statement on
Friday that her department had seen the commentary and speculation
about the photo in the Turkish media, Reuters reported.
August 4, 2012 - 13:13 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A photograph of U.S. President Barack Obama holding
a baseball bat while talking on the phone to Turkish Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan was intended to show their close relationship, a White
House spokeswoman said, after the photo caused a stir in Turkey.
The two leaders spoke on Monday, July 30 to discuss the crisis in
Syria, after which the photograph of Obama seated at his desk, talking
on the phone while holding a bat autographed by black-American
baseball great Hank Aaron, was released by the White House.
"The photo reveals from whom our Prime Minister receives orders to
rule the country," Metin Lutfi Baydar, a lawmaker with Turkey's main
opposition party the Republican People's Party (CHP), said in a
statement.
CHP vice president Umut Oran asked through parliament if Erdogan had
seen the picture and if he would take action against "an implicit
insult to Turkey and its citizens".
Some newspapers took a more lighthearted view, with columnist Ahmet
Hakan of Hurriyet writing: "We need to do something - retaliation
seems to be the most reasonable method."
"Our prime minister needs to hold something in his hand as he's
calling Obama," he added, suggesting as possible candidates a slipper,
a belt or a rolling pin.
White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a written statement on
Friday that her department had seen the commentary and speculation
about the photo in the Turkish media, Reuters reported.