London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

Greece, Britain discussing Parthenon Sculptures return but deal not close, Athens says

Greece, Britain discussing Parthenon Sculptures return but deal not close, Athens says

The Greek government on Monday said that a deal with Britain over the repatriation of the Parthenon Sculptures to Athens was not imminent but the two sides were in talks on the long-running dispute.
The British government also said it had no plans to change laws which prevent the removal of such items from the Britsh Museum's collection. The museum, custodian of the sculptures known in Britain as the Elgin Marbles, also reiterated it would not dismantle its collection.

Greece has repeatedly called for the permanent return from the British Museum of the 2,500-year-old sculptures, which British diplomat Lord Elgin removed from the Parthenon temple in the early 19th century when he was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Greece's then-ruler.

Greece's Ta Nea newspaper on Saturday reported that negotiations were at an advanced stage and cited a Greek source as saying that an agreement was 90% complete but that "a critical 10% remains unresolved".

"Since the beginning of its term the government has been and is in talks with the British side," government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said on Monday when asked about the media reports.

"These discussions are at a preliminary stage. We are far from announcements or a final deal," he said.

Last week, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who faces elections in 2023, said that there was "progress" and a sense of "momentum" in talks with Britain to reunite the sculptures in Greece.

The British Museum has always ruled out returning the marbles, which include about half of the 160-metre (525-ft) frieze that adorned the Parthenon, and insists they were legally acquired.

The museum said in a statement on Monday it would not dismantle its collection "as it tells a unique story of our common humanity". However, it said it wanted to forge a new "Parthenon Partnership" with Greece.

"We are seeking new positive, long-term partnerships with countries and communities around the world, and that of course includes Greece," it said.

Asked about British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's position on their return, a spokesman said Britain had no plans to change laws which prevent removing objects from the collection apart from in certain circumstances.

"Our position on this hasn't changed. Decisions relating to the care and management of the collections are a matter for the museum and its trustees," the spokesman said.

Citing a British official, Greece's ANT1 TV said on Sunday that the only way to return the sculptures to Greece without violating British law was "if the British Museum opened a kind of annex in Greece".

In March, the United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO urged Greece and Britain to reach a settlement on the issue.

Greece stepped up its campaign for the return of the marbles after opening a new museum in 2009 at the foot of the Acropolis hill that it hopes will one day house them.

In 2019, Greece said it could loan treasures to the British Museum in return for being able to temporarily exhibit the Parthenon marbles and that such a proposal was not altering its long-standing demand for their permanent return.

This year, the so-called "Fagan fragment", a 35-by-31-cm (12-by-14-inch) piece showing the foot of the seated ancient Greek goddess Artemis, which was part of the 5th century BC temple's eastern frieze, was permanently returned to Athens from a museum in Italy.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
×