Greek prime minister says Parthenon marbles deal remains possible

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said an agreement to return the Parthenon marbles to Greece could still be reached if there is sufficient political will and courage. Writing for the Guardian, Mitsotakis said Greece could not accept an arrangement that recognised the British Museum’s ownership of the sculptures. He also rejected a scheme under which Greece would be considered to be borrowing parts of its own monument.

His comments followed discussion of the Bayeux tapestry’s visit from France to Britain. Mitsotakis argued that the precedent did not offer an acceptable model for the Parthenon sculptures because it would imply recognition of the British Museum’s ownership. The Greek prime minister said the sculptures should be reunited in Greece.

The source material does not report a new agreement, formal negotiations or a response from the British Museum or the UK government. The dispute therefore remains unresolved. Mitsotakis’s position is that a return deal remains possible, but only if it avoids language or terms that acknowledge British Museum ownership of the marbles.

The supplied material does not specify what form of agreement Greece would accept beyond that condition, nor does it provide a timetable for any further discussions.