The British government signaled that it will not block an agreement with the British Museum to return the sculptures from the Parthenon to Greece, writes today the newspaper “Kathimerini&rdquo ; on the occasion of the meeting in London between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
At the meeting yesterday, Mitsotakis raised the long-standing problem of Greece for the return of the sculptures from the ancient temple of the goddess Athena, which are now in the British Museum. They were taken down from the Parthenon at the beginning of the 19th century. by the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Lord Elgin, and according to the British side, this was done by virtue of a Sultan's firman, the existence of which is disputed by Greece.
In 1816 the British Parliament bought the reliefs from Elgin and gave them to the British Museum, where they are still today. Another substantial part of the sculptures is in the Acropolis Museum, and individual fragments are in other European museums. In 1983 Greece has launched a campaign to return the sculptures from London to Athens.
At the official talks of "Downing Street" 10, which were focused on bilateral relations, economic cooperation and the challenges of migration, Mitsotakis used the occasion to raise again the question of the return of the sculptures, writes “Katemirini“.
The visit of the Greek Prime Minister to London confirmed the change in the position of the British government. Keir Starmer emphasized that the British government will not block an agreement between the Greek authorities and the British Museum, writes the Greek publication.
It is reported that talks between the Greek Foreign Ministry and George Osborne – the president of the British Museum, have reached a “very good stage”. According to sources, the return of the sculptures is becoming more feasible, although the key question lies in the conditions of the return itself, writes “Kathimerini”.
The British Museum is hesitant to give up its ownership, insisting that the sculptures will remain part of the UK collection even if they are exhibited in Greece. However, Greek officials have made it clear that they will not accept the sculptures as a loan, insisting on full restitution.
Greece's Culture Minister Lina Mendoni remains optimistic that a solution will be found, stressing that the sculptures will “return to the light of Attica”.
In the course of the talks, the two sides are focusing on resolving these legal and technical issues before determining the logistics of transportation, the newspaper said.