UK and Greece in diplomatic dispute over cancellation of meeting to discuss the return of contested Elgin Marbles. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed ‘displeasure’ over the abrupt cancellation by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, accusing him of avoiding talks on the issue. The marbles, taken from the Parthenon temple in the early 19th century, has been a source of contention between the two nations for decades. The British government maintains it acquired the marbles legally and has ruled out giving up ownership, while Athens has been pushing for a loan arrangement for their return. Mitsotakis reportedly declined a UK offer to meet Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden instead. The cancellation came after Mitsotakis likened the collection being held at the British Museum to the Mona Lisa painting being cut in half, which reportedly upset the British prime minister. Despite the cancellation, Mitsotakis met with British opposition leader Keir Starmer to discuss the marbles. Sunak’s spokesperson stated that the UK government has “no plans to change our approach, and certainly we think that the [British] museum is the right place” for the marbles. The cancellation of the meeting has sparked tensions between the two countries as they continue to seek a resolution to the long-standing dispute.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
