PM Erdogan: The West must look at human suffering in the Mideast

The suffering of women and children, rather than just potential oil profits, must be considered by the West when looking at crisis-hit Middle East and North African countries, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday. "I advise our Western friends to look at hungry children, suffering mothers and violated women, as well as their poverty," he said, speaking to the International Convention on Gender Equality in Istanbul. "I hope those who see only oil, gold mines and other underground treasures while looking at this [region] would also look at this area through the eyes of their consciences." Erdogan also reiterated Turkey's stance regarding international operations in Libya. "We do not want the Iraq experience to be repeated there," he said. "Planes, our soldiers, will never become planes dropping bombs or hands firing guns at our Libyan brothers."