(dpa) - Berlin acknowledged Tuesday the election of Silvio Berlusconi to a third term as Italy's prime minister, with officials saying Berlin's dealings with Rome would be business-like.
A spokesman in Berlin for Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had congratulated him, adding, "The chancellor is looking forward to her cooperation with Berlusconi."
At the Foreign Ministry, an official said Berlin would "cooperate closely with Berlusconi just as it has with all previous governments."