Germany’s Foreign Minister says Turkey’s chances of joining the European Union are dwindling, but the country might one day hope for a privileged partnership with the bloc. Sigmar Gabriel told German weekly Der Spiegel in an interview published on Saturday that “Turkey is further away than ever before from EU membership.” Gabriel, whose centre-left Social Democrats have tended to back Turkish membership in the EU, says he was always skeptical of the idea. He said upcoming negotiations about EU’s future relationship with Britain might provide a blueprint for Turkey “in long term.” Relations between Berlin and Ankara have soured recently over a German Parliament resolution labeling the 20th century killing of Armenians as “genocide”, Turkey’s crackdown on opposition and civil society and appearances by Turkish officials in Germany.