For two or three “private meetings” between the prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakisthe foreign minister George Gerapetritis and the president and three members of its board of directors British Museum regarding the return of Sculptors of the Parthenon British speaks Sky News in his publication on Monday morning, one day before the meeting of the Greek Prime Minister with his British counterpart, Keir Starmer.

In particular, the British website also conveys what a source close to the British Prime Minister said to them Financial Times: “We are open to whatever is agreed upon. We can say that there is no clear view of what should happen.”

Unlike the former British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunakwho in 2023 canceled his meeting with Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the occasion of what the Greek prime minister had argued about the Parthenon Sculptures, Keir Starmer “is believed to be more open to a return of the Sculptures than his predecessor”.

For its part, the British Museum refused to comment on the information about the informal meetings, with its representative contenting itself with the fact that discussions with the Greek government about a collaboration are continuing.

“This could mean that a loan deal between the British Museum and the Greek government could be in the works – paving the way for some of the most important cultural monuments to return to Greece, more than 200 years after they were moved out of the country Sky News reports.

“However, for this to happen, Greece would have to agree to lend it an antiquities it believes to be its own, which means challenges remain,” the article on the British website concludes.

It is recalled that the British diplomat Lord Elgin he had removed the sculptures in the early 19th century while he was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which at the time had Greece under its yoke.

Lord Elgin then claimed to have obtained permission from the Ottoman Empire to transport the sculptures and sold them to the UK government in 1816 before the marbles passed into the custody of the British Museum.

However, for its part, Turkey believes that permission was never given, with representative Dr. Zeynep Boz publicly supported Greece in June at the United Nations Intergovernmental Committee on Returns and Rehabilitation (ICPRCP).