LONDON — A diplomatic spat erupted Monday between Greece and Britain after the U.Ok. canceled a deliberate assembly of their prime ministers, prompting the Greek premier to accuse his British counterpart of attempting to keep away from discussing the contested Parthenon Marbles.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is visiting London and had been anticipated to fulfill British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing St. on Tuesday. He was attributable to elevate Greece’s decades-old demand for the return of the traditional sculptures from the British Museum.
Late Monday Mitsotakis issued a press release to “express my annoyance at the fact that the British prime minister has cancelled our planned meeting a few hours before it was due to take place.”
“Greece and Britain are linked by traditional bonds of friendship, and the scope of our bilateral relations is very broad,” Mitsotakis stated. “Greece’s positions on the matter of the Parthenon Sculptures are well known. I had hoped to have the opportunity to discuss them with my British counterpart, together with the current major international challenges: Gaza, Ukraine, climate change and immigration. Whoever believes that his positions are well-founded and just is never afraid of engaging in a debate.”
Britain confirmed the 2 leaders wouldn’t meet and that Mitsotakis would maintain talks with Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden as an alternative.
“The U.K.-Greece relationship is hugely important,” Sunak’s workplace stated in a press release that notably failed to say the disputed sculptures. “From our work together in NATO, to tackling shared challenges like illegal migration, to joint efforts to resolve the crisis in the Middle East and war in Ukraine.
“The deputy prime minister was available to meet with the Greek PM to discuss these important issues.”
Athens has lengthy demanded the return of sculptures that had been faraway from Greece by British diplomat Lord Elgin within the early nineteenth century. The sculptures, which initially adorned the two,500-year-old Parthenon temple on the Acropolis, have been displayed on the British Museum in London for greater than two centuries.
About half the surviving marble works are in London, and the remainder in a purpose-built museum underneath the Acropolis in Athens. Appearing on British tv Sunday, Mitsotakis in contrast the separation of the sculptures to reducing the Mona Lisa in half – a comment that irritated the British authorities.
The British Museum is banned by legislation from giving the sculptures again to Greece, however its leaders have held talks with Greek officers a few compromise, corresponding to a long-term mortgage.
But Sunak’s spokesman took a tricky line Monday, saying the U.Ok. authorities had “no plans to change our approach, and certainly we think that the (British) museum is the right place” for the marbles.
“These were legally acquired at the time, they’re legally owned by the trustees of the museum. We support that position and there’s no plan to change the law which governs it,” stated spokesman Max Blain.
“We have cared for the marbles for generations and our position is we want that to continue.”
___
Paphitis reported from Athens, Greece.
