On Wednesday, November 29, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis of "grandstanding" on the Parthenon sculptures during his recent London visit while defending his cancellation of a meet with Greek PM.
Amid news of the increase in tensions due to cancellation of a meeting between Greece and Uk, Sunak, in his first public remarks, stated, "It was clear the meeting's purpose was not substantive discussion but grandstanding and relitigating past issues.", escalating the tensions.
The opposition Labour Party accused Sunak of building a dispute to distract from the failures of the Government, while Greece has expressed willingness to loan antiquities to the British Museum in exchange for temporary Parthenon sculpture exhibits in Athens.
Keir Starmer condemned Sunak for what he termed "small politics." In response, Sunak justified his action, highlighting that the meeting was meant to address significant future issues rather than discussion on past controversies.
The British Museum proposed a Parthenon Partnership, ongoing and constructive discussions, aiming to balance global object sharing and preserving the museum's collection integrity.
During the ongoing dispute, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle hosted Greek Ambassador Yannis Tsaousis in Parliament, noting it as a prearranged visit.
Why was the meeting cancelled?
Rishi Sunak cancelled a planned meeting on tuesday, November 28 with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accusing him of breaching a commitment not to advocate for the return of the Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum, Elgin Marbles.
In a BBC interview, Mitsotakis compared the separation of the sculptures to cutting the Mona Lisa, a comparison dismissed by the British government. Despite Downing Street's claim of assurances, Mitsotakis discussed the marbles' return to Greece in the interview, fueling the diplomatic dispute. The Greek PM demanded for the sculptures' return from the British Museum.
The sculptures, taken by Lord Elgin in the 19th century, have resided in the British Museum since 1816. Greece, likening their removal to cutting the Mona Lisa, pursues their return. Discussions about a possible loan of the sculptures hinge on acknowledging the British Museum's ownership.
Greece Response to the cancellation of meeting
Mistotakis, in his response to the cancellation of the meeting, expressed his anger and accused Sunak of disrespect. Mitsotakis later described it as an "unfortunate event" and highlighted how this is a potential harm to Greece-UK relations.
Greece's foreign minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, advocated for the return of the sculptures during a summit with Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron. Greece implies that Sunak's decision to cancel the meeting is politically driven, possibly linked to internal challenges faced by the Tory party.
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