ANKARA, July 5. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that he is looking at inviting his Russian and Syrian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Bashar Assad to discuss smoothing over relations between Ankara and Damascus, as well as settling the internal situation in Syria.

"We can get the [normalization] process with Syria going again. We can invite Mr. Putin and Mr. Bashar Assad. If Mr. Putin can visit Turkey, it will move things along. These past years have shown that a permanent settlement mechanism for Syria is needed. It is extremely crucial to ensure that Syria, with its demolished infrastructure and scattered population, is able to get on its feet again. We must put an end to instability," the Anadolu news agency quoted him as saying upon his return from Kazakhstan, where he attended a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

According to the Turkish leader, the problem now is that "instability in the region provides wiggle room for terrorist organizations, especially the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (outlawed in Turkey - TASS)" and its Syrian arms. "It is vital for Syria’s future to exterminate these units in cooperation and without exception. It is essential to build a democratic foundation in Syria, ensure an inclusive and fair peace, and implement approaches on the basis of Syria’s territorial integrity," he said.

Turkey "is always ready to extend a helping hand to Syria and support it," Erdogan stressed.