<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has spoken to the newly re-elected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and invited him to visit Berlin, the government said Monday.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Islamic-rooted conservative Erdogan -- Turkey's longest-serving leader -- won a historic run-off election on Sunday, extending his two-decade rule.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Chancellor emphasised the close ties between Germany and Turkey, not least as joint allies in NATO," the German government said in a statement, adding that "both agreed to approach the cooperation between the two governments with fresh impetus and to agree on common priorities."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It added that Scholz had invited Erdogan for "an inaugural visit".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Among other things, they want to work together on a good development in the Eastern Mediterranean, on the decisions currently pending in NATO and on Turkey's relationship with the European Union," the statement said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Observers expect Erdogan to continue playing a bridging role between Russia and Western partners for Turkey's benefit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Erdogan's personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has survived the Kremlin's war on Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And NATO partners are anxiously waiting for Ankara to approve Sweden's stalled bid to join the US-led defence alliance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Erdogan has blocked the application, accusing Stockholm of sheltering Turkish opposition figures with alleged links to outlawed Kurdish militants. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>