Turkey is an important partner for Germany, and Chancellor Angela Merkel is interested in meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a government spokesperson said yesterday.

"We are always interested in talks with Turkey, which is a close and important partner for us in many areas," the government's deputy spokeswoman, Ulrike Demmer, told a news conference in Berlin, and added that Merkel was also interested in meeting with Erdoğan.

German daily Bild reported Saturday President Frank-Walter Steinmeier invited his counterpart Erdoğan for a state visit in late September.

Besides his meeting with Steinmeier, who holds a largely ceremonial position, Erdoğan is also scheduled to meet with Merkel to discuss bilateral ties and international issues.

Steinmeier's office confirmed yesterday that Berlin had extended an official invitation to Erdoğan for a state visit, but it did not give a date. "An exact date for the visit has not been set yet," a spokeswoman told local media.