New York, Mar 5 : After facing much criticism for returning a bust of Winston Churchill, US President Barack Obama is giving some British mementos a prominent place in and near the Oval Office.

According to Politico, Obama, in a ten-minute phone call on March 4, gave his regards to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for dropping off the gifts on Tuesday when he visited the White House.

An official release said that the surprisingly detailed readout on the call said Obama has put a penholder taken from the HMS Gannet on his Oval Office desk, known as the ''Resolute Desk''.

The statement also said a first-edition biography of Churchill, the legendary World War II British premier, has been placed in the President''s private study just outside the Oval office.

The British press was highly offended by the return of Churchill''s bust, which sat in the Oval Office for nearly seven years before being returned.

They believe that Obama does not value US-Britain relations as highly as President Bush did.

Obama, however, has dismissed the notion, and called it ''ridiculous''.

He has, since then, been over cautious in demonstrating his friendliness and appreciation for Brown. (ANI)