Parthenon, diplomatic confrontation between Greece and the United Kingdom: Sunak’s unexpected gesture

There is again a dispute between London and Athens over the Parthenon marbles. A real diplomatic clash after Rishi Sunak canceled at the last moment the meeting scheduled for today in the British capital with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after the Greek Prime Minister declared, in an interview with the BBC, that he intended to raise the issue during the marble meeting of Elgin, as they are called in the United Kingdom after the Lord, then British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, who brought them to London in the early 19th century. Mitsotakis publicly expressed on social media his “dismay” at the fact that the meeting was canceled “a few hours before it was scheduled to take place”. “Whoever is convinced of the correctness and equity of their positions is never afraid to compare different positions”, he then added, with a clear reference to the positions of London, which for years refused Athens’ requests to return the Parthenon marbles.

Sunak’s decision was defined as “unprecedented and disrespectful” by Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, who highlighted, in a television interview, that this affront was not only made to “the Greek Prime Minister but to the entire Greek people ”. An official statement from the Greek Prime Minister’s office states “disappointment” at the meeting canceled at the last minute: “Greece and Great Britain have a deep history of friendship and cooperation and the Greek government is extremely surprised by this decision.” “The Prime Minister was eager to discuss a series of topics of mutual interest, such as the conflict in Gaza, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, climate change, common challenges such as immigration and, of course, the Parthenon sculptures”, concludes the Mitsotakis spokesman.

Compounding the Greek Prime Minister’s irritation was the fact that he was offered an alternative interview with Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, a move that conflicts with protocol requiring a visiting Prime Minister to meet with the prime minister of the host country. Transport Minister Mark Harper denied that with this measure Sunak wanted to disregard the Greek Prime Minister: «The Prime Minister was unable to meet the Greek Prime Minister, he was offered a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister -minister, which was impossible for him,” he said in a television interview. And then he reiterated London’s unwavering position: “The government has clearly expressed its position on the Elgin Marbles, which should remain part of the British Museum’s permanent collection.” As Sunak’s spokesman also did: “We have no intention of changing our approach and believe the museum is the right place for the marbles,” he said, referring to a 1963 law that prohibits their transfer. The British press defined Sunak’s measure as a real ‘slap’ to the Greek guest, who, surprised and irritated, returned home without any progress in diplomatic relations.