Greece in ‘preliminary’ talks with British Museum about Parthenon marbles
Greece’s top officials have currently been involved in “preliminary” discussions with the British Museum over the return of the Parthenon marbles to Athens
Greece’s top officials have currently been involved in “preliminary” discussions with the British Museum over the return of the Parthenon marble to Athens. As per The Guardian report, this may represent a profound transformation in the world’s longest-running cultural dispute.
Further, the British Museum’s chair, George Osborne, met with senior authorities, which includes the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Monday in a five-star hotel in London, according to a report published on Saturday by Greek newspaper Ta Nea.
Besides this, Greek state minister Giorgos Gerapetritis told the Guardian that there is a discussion going on between his country’s leadership and the British Museum. He said regarding the issue, “Right now, they are preliminary talks and, yes, I have met the British Museum’s chair, George Osborne”. The Greek leader further remarked, “We have seen progress”, and added, “I do sense a momentum.”
Dispute over the Parthenon Marble has persisted for over 200 years
It is pertinent to mention that the dispute over the marble has persisted for more than 200 years. Lord Elgin, who was at the time ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, had the marble taken under disputed circumstances. Thus, Parthenon Sculptures are also known as the Elgin Marbles, Associated Press reported.
The artefacts, which include 75 meters of the Parthenon’s original 160-meter-long frieze, were obtained by the British Museum in the year 1816 after the ambassador was forced to sell them due to financial ruin, despair, and syphilis.
Furthermore, when the Greek premier in 2021 made the famous Parthenon marbles the focal point of Downing Street discussions with his then counterpart Boris Johnson, Ta Nea reported that the first of numerous ‘behind-the-scenes’ conversations had taken place in London between Osborne and Mitsotakis. After that, the former chancellor continued to have discussions by meeting with Gerapetritis and Nikos Dendias, the Greek foreign minister, in London.
Meanwhile, Elgin is being accused of committing a “blatant act of serial theft” by the Greek cultural minister as the ownership issue over the artworks has turned nasty. Campaigners have increased pressure on London’s top cultural institution to change its position as the rhetoric has become more heated and is supported by rising support among Britons for their return.
After UNESCO deemed it essential that the matter be considered at an inter-government level, Jonathan Williams, the deputy director of the British Museum, declared in August that the organisation was keen to “change the temperature of the debate.” The British Museum stated in a statement that the discussions were a part of attempts to forge “a new Parthenon partnership with Greece.”
