LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 23: Visitors to the British Museum walk through a selection of items from the collection of ancient Greek sculptures known as The Elgin Marbles on August 23, 2023 in London, England.
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LONDON – British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak canceled a planned meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday amid a diplomatic row over the Parthenon sculptures.
Greece has long insisted that the 2,500-year-old sculptures, removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and currently in the British Museum, should be returned.
The statues, also known as the Elgin Marbles, have caused controversy between the two nations for centuries.
Mitsotakis told the BBC on Sunday that renewed talks over a possible loan deal for the sculptures were not progressing quickly enough and that the British Museum was continuing to store some of the artifacts while the rest remained in Athens, like cutting the “Mona Lisa” in two Cut in halves.”
Sunak snubbed the Greek leader on the eve of their planned diplomatic meeting.
“The relationship between Britain and Greece is hugely important. From our cooperation in NATO, to tackling shared challenges such as illegal migration, to joint efforts to resolve the crisis in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine,” a Downing Street spokesman said.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden was available to meet with Mitsotakis in Sunak’s place.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrives in Tirana ahead of the Berlin Litigation Leaders Summit on October 16, 2023.
Ludovic Marin | Afp | Getty Images
“I express my dismay that the British Prime Minister canceled our planned meeting just hours before its scheduled date,” Mitsotakis said in a Google-translated statement on Monday.
“Those who believe in the correctness and justice of their positions are not afraid of counterarguments.”
The British government has always maintained that the marbles were acquired legally. A domestic law prohibits the British Museum from permanently removing objects from its collection outside of certain circumstances, but does not prohibit a possible loan agreement.