To receive instant news updates delivered directly to your email inbox, subscribe to our breaking news email notifications at no cost.
Join our mailing list for complimentary email alerts on breaking news.
Supporters of the Greek prime minister have opposed accusations that he violated a deal by requesting the return of the Elgin Marbles during his visit to the UK.
Rishi Sunak canceled his scheduled in-person meeting with Greek leader Kyriakos Mitsotaki on Tuesday, citing a feeling that Mitsotaki had gone back on his promise to avoid openly discussing the ownership of ancient artifacts.
The Prime Minister’s office stated that Mr Sunak was concerned that a one-on-one meeting in London would primarily revolve around the dispute over the marbles, following an interview given by Mr Mitsotaki on Sunday where he urged for their return from the British Museum to Athens.
The PA news agency has learned that the Greek government does not agree with No 10’s description of the situation, as tensions continue to escalate.
In our opinion, continuously bringing up the ownership of the marbles in public has negatively affected our otherwise productive relationship with Greece. This issue has been settled for a long time and should not be revisited.
The spokesperson for the Prime Minister stated:
According to Athens, it is absurd to think that Mr Mitsotaki would visit London and refuse to address the issue of the marbles, also known as Parthenon Sculptures, during a BBC interview.
The Greek prime minister intends to consistently bring up the matter during his visits to the UK, but he has yet to have a chance to personally address it with Mr Sunak.
For a while, Greece has been requesting the restitution of significant artifacts that were taken from the Acropolis of Athens by Lord Elgin during his time as the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s.
The UK government expressed its desire to prevent a situation like Mr. Mitsotaki’s visit to the UK in 2021, where he was seen using the trip as a means to advocate for the return of the marbles.
Mr. Mitsotaki had stated two years prior, when Boris Johnson was prime minister, that the 17 figures should be housed in the Acropolis Museum.
Before the visit this week, Downing Street made sure to ask for guarantees that there would not be any similar public statements.
However, during an interview on Sunday, Mr. Mitsotaki likened the present circumstances to the Mona Lisa painting being split in two.
The remarks seem to have irritated No 10, as the official spokesperson for the Prime Minister stated to reporters that Mr Sunak had chosen to cancel the planned discussions for Tuesday, deeming them unproductive.
According to the spokesperson, constantly revisiting the issue of the ownership of the marbles in public has negatively impacted our relationship with Greece. It would be more productive to have those discussions in private.
“We were given these guarantees prior to the meeting.”
“The promises were not kept and the resulting actions were witnessed.”
Number 10 stated that they proposed discussions with Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden instead. However, this goes against the usual procedure, which typically entails a visiting prime minister meeting with Mr. Sunak rather than a lower-ranking minister.
The Greek Minister, Adonis Georgiadis, expressed disapproval towards Mr. Sunak’s decision to cancel the planned one-on-one meeting.
During an interview with BBC Radio 4’s World At One, he stated, “It was an error. Our relationship had a rough day. I am optimistic that we will resolve it soon.”
In his interview advocating for the return of the marbles, Mr. Mitsotakis conveyed the perspective of the Greek population, according to Mr. Georgiadis.
“Elgin was the one who took the marbles,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Greek prime minister expressed strong disappointment and surprise on Monday when the British Prime Minister suddenly cancelled their meeting at the last minute.
According to a Greek report, there was significant confusion surrounding Mr Sunak’s choice to prioritize preventing migrant sea crossings, considering it was one of his top five priorities.
In addition to addressing the sculptures, the Greek government expressed its desire to address issues related to climate change and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The chairman of the British Museum, George Osborne, who used to be a chancellor, has stated that he is considering options for the Elgin Marbles to be exhibited in Greece. It has been speculated that this could involve a temporary agreement where some of the pieces would be transported to Athens.
However, Downing Street clarified that Mr Sunak still believes the museum is the appropriate location for them.
This week, it was confirmed by No 10 that the British Museum Act of 1963, which forbids the removal of objects from the museum’s collection, will not be altered by ministers.
The decision made by Mr Sunak to cancel his meeting with his Greek counterpart was met with criticism from Labour.
The representative of the party stated that Rishi Sunak’s actions of provoking a conflict with a Nato ally solely for the purpose of creating a headline demonstrates his lack of strength.
On Monday, Sir Keir met with Mr Mitsotakis before he chose to shorten his trip.
The discussion summary did not refer to the marbles. However, Sir Keir had implied that while he would inform the Greek leader that a Labour government would not alter the law, he would also not obstruct a loan agreement that was agreeable to both parties.
I’m unable to reword this text because it is the source link for an article on independent.co.uk.
