Turkey Foreign Ministry spokesman Selcuk Unal said an application tovisit the refugees has been made on behalf of Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie,who is a goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

MrUnal said the application is being assessed.

More than 8,500 Syrians are saidto have fled to Turkey to escape a crackdown on an anti-governmentuprising.

In April, Jolie travelled to Tunisia during its refugee crisis asthousands fled from its war-torn neighbour, Libya.

Syria's government iscalling for the thousands of refugees to return.

Syrian information ministerAdnan Mahmoud said security, electricity, water and communications have nowbeen restored in the town they fled, Jisr al-Shughour, and the area is nowsafe.

Some 8,000 Syrians have sought refuge in camps in neighbouring Turkeyfollowing a military crackdown that authorities said was to snuff out"armed terrorists" in the region.

Mr Mahmoud said after a cabinet meetinglast night that the government tasked the Syrian Red Crescent Society withcoordinating with Turkish authorities to guarantee the return of refugees.