The issue that has poisoned relations between Athens and London for years is on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting between Prime Ministers Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Keir Starmer.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis meets his British counterpart Keir Starmer in London on Tuesday, with the aim of moving forward on the restitution to Athens of the Parthenon friezes which are in the British Museum, a historic dispute poisoning bilateral relations. And the file is moving forward, according to Athens. London « will not stand in the way » upon the return of ancient remains « if there is an agreement between Athens and the British Museum » if the British Museum where they are currently exhibited reaches an agreement to this effect with the Greek authorities, a Greek government source told AFP on Tuesday.
Before his visit to the United Kingdom, the first since Labor Keir Starmer came to power, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: firmly convinced » that the Parthenon marbles would return to Athens more than two centuries after their departure for London.
« I am firmly convinced that the friezes will be returned. Discussions with the British Museum continue », Assured the head of the Greek government on Saturday on the ANT1 television channel. These negotiations to try to resolve a quarrel which has poisoned bilateral relations for more than 50 years “ do not concern the British government, but the British Museum “, he nevertheless underlined.
The question will be “ obviously one of the issues of the bilateral meeting » with Keir Starmer, the government spokesperson said in Athens on Monday. For its part, Downing Street affirmed that the friezes of the Parthenon “ will not appear on the Prime Minister's agenda » Keir Starmer. « He will focus on support for Ukraine and the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza “, indicated his spokesperson. “ Our position on the Parthenon marbles has not changed “, continued this spokesperson, adding that this question remained “ du ressort du British Museum ».
Discussions “ well advanceds »
Greece is determined to recover its heritage. A return to Athens of this ancient treasure exhibited in one of the greatest museums in the world since 1816 would constitute an indisputable political victory for the conservative leader. With this in mind, Kyriakos Mitsotakis led with his head of diplomacy, Yiorgos Gerapetritis, “ private meetings » with officials from the British Museum including its director George Osborne at “ two or three times » this year, according to British television Sky News.
« Our position on the Parthenon marbles has not changed »
Greek government spokesperson
The discussions are “ well advanced ”, according to the Guardian, which cited sources close to the negotiations on Tuesday. The deal would be a cultural partnership that would see the friezes returned to Athens, in exchange for high-profile works sent to London. Athens has denied any secret dealings but according to British media, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is much more open to a return of these ancient masterpieces to Athens than his predecessor, Rishi Sunak.
The latter inflicted a diplomatic snub on Kyriakos Mitsotakis a year ago by canceling a planned meeting between them at the last minute. This heatwave between London and Athens came after comments by the Greek Prime Minister which had, it seems, greatly displeased Downing Street. The Greek, ardent defender of a return of marbles, had judged that keeping part of the friezes of the Parthenon outside Greece amounted to “ cut Mona Lisa in two “. Then at the head of the opposition, Keir Starmer assured that Rishi Sunak had “ obviously lost his mind ».
At the origins of the conflict
Athens has been demanding for decades the return of these precious 75 meter long friezes detached from the Parthenon. The Greek authorities maintain that they were the subject of a “ pillage » orchestrated in 1802 by Lord Elgin, British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. But London claims that the sculptures were “ legally acquired » by Lord Elgin, who sold them to the British Museum. A 1963 British law prevents the museum from making restitutions. In the United Kingdom, where according to a 2023 YouGov poll, a majority of Britons are in favor of restitution, opponents fear a domino effect which would see the demands of several countries accumulate.
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Athens hopes to finally reunite the Parthenon marbles
At the top of the Acropolis, the Parthenon, listed as a UNESCO cultural heritage site, is a temple built in the 5the century BC in homage to the goddess Athena. The new Acropolis Museum, inaugurated in 2009, has reserved a space to house the friezes of the Parthenon on the upper floor of the building where the four sides of the temple are recreated in real size. The friezes exhibited in London have been replaced by casts. The Acropolis of Athens is the most visited archaeological site in Greece.
