"The (German) government expects that the Turkish government will now seek respectful dialogue with all political and social forces in the country, after this tough election campaign," Merkel said in a statement issued jointly with foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel.
The 'Yes' camp won with 51.41 percent in Sunday's vote on giving Erdogan sweeping new powers, according to near-complete results, but angry opposition groups have cried foul and demanded a recount.
 Â
Merkel said Germany "respected the right of Turks to decide on their constitution", but added that "the close result shows the extent to which Turkish society is deeply divided".
 Â
During the referendum campaign, Erdogan lashed out at Germany and the Netherlands, accusing them of acting like the Nazis when they barred rallies for the 'Yes' camp.
 Â
Merkel called for political discussions with Ankara "as quickly as possible".
  Â
International observers from the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are due to give their preliminary findings on the referendum later Monday.
Comments