Merkel could work well with Medvedev: spokesman

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel expects she could work well with Dmitry Medvedev, named by Russia's President Vladimir Putin as his preferred successor, her spokesman said on Tuesday.

Putin and Merkel spoke on the telephone on Monday and the Russian president told her about his endorsement of Medvedev, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told a news conference.

"The chancellor told the Russian president that she has met Medvedev and believes she could work well with him," he said.

Merkel has been more critical of Russia than her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder, whom Putin considers a close personal friend. She has irritated Putin by criticizing his human rights record and expressing concerns about the state of democracy in Russia.

(Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Ibon Villelabeitia)