Zakynthos Informer Zakynthos Informer
Related Articles
Today the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has spoken to the Daily Mail about his meeting with UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, earlier this week. At the meeting, they discussed the Parthenon Marbles and the request for them to be returned to Greece.
At the meeting The UK Prime Minister noted that he understood the strength of feeling in Greece over the issue of the Parthenon Marbles but declined to make a decision over the future of the marbles, instead saying that it is a matter for the British Museum and not the UK Government.
In today’s Daily Mail article Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, says that during the meeting, the UK Prime Minister said he wouldn’t stand in the way if Greece wants to open a formal dialogue with the British Museum over the future of the Parthenon Marbles. In return, Mitsotakis has said that Greece will consider loaning some Greek artefacts to the British Museum, such as the ancient Artemision Bronze statue.
As yet, the British Museum still hasn’t responded to the news reports. The UK position has always been that the Parthenon Marbles were legally acquired, and the decision for returning them has to be made by the British Museum, who are the current Trustees of the artefacts. Their stance is noted on their website as a Trustees Statement:
BRITISH MUSEUM STATEMENT
Mitsotakis is very clear on the issue, however, saying:
“This year marks the 200th anniversary of Greece’s war of independence against the Ottoman Empire, a war in which Britain stood with Greece in the fight for freedom. What greater manifestation of the Prime Minister’s vision of a new, self-confident, open, and truly global Britain could there be, then, than for his government to take a bold step forward and, with the British Museum, repatriate the Parthenon Sculptures? Reuniting the marbles would be made very much easier if the British Government cut the political restraints in the form of the British Museum Act of 1963 that tie the hands of the museum. Now, given that the Prime Minister has told me he would not stand in the way of Greece establishing a formal dialogue with the British Museum over the future of the marbles, I can only assume that … he will not obstruct any future agreement and that, instead, the Prime Minister would seek to amend the relevant legislation to allow the sculptures’ return.”
Mitsotakis also noted that whilst the Parthenon Marbles remain in the UK it is impossible to view the complete Parthenon or its accompanying friezes because sculptures are missing.
We will have to see what happens next in this ongoing issues, and if the Trustees of The British Museum make an announcement over the future of the sculptures.
To read the full story on the history of the Parthenon Marbles please see our previous post:
The History of the Parthenon Marbles
Source: Daily Mail, UK
Photos: Chrissie Parker
To get up-to-date news or more information about Zakynthos, join our Facebook group or follow our Twitterfeed.
All articles on this blog are the property of the authors and The Zakynthos Informer. No articles are to be reproduced, copied, or screenshot without the permission of the author.
