Sunak Cancels Meeting With Greek PM Over Elgin Marbles Comment

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled a scheduled meeting with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after he publicly stated the Elgin Marbles – more widely known as the Parthenon Sculptures – should be returned to Greece.

The Elgin Marbles controversy revolves around a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures, originally part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens, which are now on display in the British Museum.

These sculptures were removed from Greece in the early 19th century by Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, while Greece was under Ottoman rule. Elgin obtained permission from the Ottoman authorities, who controlled the country at the time, to remove the sculptures. His argument was that he was trying to preserve and protect them from damage and destruction.

However, the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of these marbles have been a subject of controversy and debate. Critics argue that Elgin’s removal of the sculptures was not legal or ethical, citing concerns about the validity of the permissions he obtained and questioning whether the Ottoman authorities had the right to grant such permission on behalf of the Greek people. They argue that the marbles were essentially looted or improperly acquired and should be returned to Greece.

Long-Standing Controversy

On the other hand, Britain has always argued that Elgin obtained the necessary permissions. In a statement following the row with Mitsotakis, Downing Street stated that returning the marbles would be a “slippery slope”, as it could encourage the return of more artifacts in British museums to other countries.

Following the sudden cancellation of the meeting, Mitsotakis, who is currently visiting London, met with Labour leader Keir Starmer.

“We discussed boosting UK-Greek cooperation in key areas, from delivering economic security to taking climate action,” Starmer said. “With Labour, Britain and Greece will remain strong partners.”

That of the Elgin Marbles is far from the only controversy surrounding artefacts from other countries which are housed in the British Museum. Other contended artefacts include the Benin Bronzes, which were looted from present-day Nigeria during a British military expedition in 1897, Ethiopian treasures, and indigenous Australian artefacts.

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