From AFP:  Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered reassurance on Thursday that his country is not turning away from the West in the wake of its vote against UN sanctions on Iran, calling such charges "dirty propaganda".

Speaking at a Turkish-Arab forum, Erdogan pointed to French investments in Syria and other Arab countries, adding: "But when it comes to Turkey investing in Arab countries or vice versa, a dirty propaganda is trying to impede this process."

"Those who say that Turkey has broken away from the West are the intermediaries of an ill-intentioned propaganda," he said.

"We are open to all parts of the world. We are not open to one and closed to another." 

Many in Turkey and the West are concerned that NATO’s sole mainly Muslim member is sliding away, pointing at a severe crisis with Israel over its bloody raid on aid ships last week and Turkey’s "no" vote on fresh UN Security Council sanctions against Iran regarding its nuclear programme Wednesday.  (photo: Reuters)

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