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Greek PM urges ‘courage’ in Parthenon Marbles dispute as talks stall

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Neutral summary

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in an opinion piece published by The Guardian on Thursday, September 24, called on the British government to show ‘political will and courage’ to resolve the long-running dispute over the Parthenon Marbles. He wrote that Greece ‘cannot accept any arrangement that would require it to recognise the British Museum’s ownership of the sculptures’ and rejected a loan deal modelled on the Bayeux Tapestry’s visit from France. The appeal follows reports, cited by GB News and The Telegraph, that negotiations between Greece and the British Museum, which resumed in 2021, have effectively collapsed over fundamental disagreement on ownership: Athens demands the permanent return of the sculptures, while the museum is only willing to lend them. Greek officials regard the ancient works as Greek property, while the British Museum says it is legally responsible for them. Mitsotakis also said British public opinion is increasingly siding with Athens. He has previously compared the removal of the sculptures from Athens to cutting Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ in half. The sculptures were brought to the UK in the early 19th century by Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl of Elgin, while Greece was under Ottoman rule.

How it was framed

Outlets: 16. Countries: 7. Facts in the shared core: 5.

Publication timeline

  1. · GB News (outlet profile)

    Elgin Marbles talks collapse after Greece demands artefacts returned permanently. Efforts to reach an agreement over the future of the Elgin Marbles are said to have broken down, after years of discussions between Greec…

  2. · Daily Mail (outlet profile)

    Talks about the Elgin Marbles being sent to Greece in a Bayeux Tapestry-style deal 'have collapsed'. The ancient sculptures were brought to the UK in the early 19th century from Greece by Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl of E…

  3. · The Guardian (outlet profile)

    Greek PM: deal to return Parthenon marbles could still be reached with ‘political will and courage’. But Kyriakos Mitsotakis says he cannot accept any arrangement that recognises British Museum’s ownership of the sculpt…

  4. · The Independent (outlet profile)

    Talks over returning Elgin Marbles to Greece ‘collapse’. Greece’s prime minister said country would not accept ‘any arrangement that would require it to recognise the British Museum’s ownership of the sculptures’

  5. · BFMTV (outlet profile)

    Restitution des frises du Parthénon : Athènes appelle Londres à faire preuve de "courage". Le Premier ministre grec demande à Londres de "transformer un différend historique en un acte unique d'amitié culturelle", en re…

  6. · Channel NewsAsia (outlet profile)

    Greek PM urges 'courage' in talks with UK over Parthenon Marbles

  7. · Bloomberg (outlet profile)

    Greek PM Rejects Bayeux Tapestry Precedent for Parthenon Marbles. Greece won’t countenance any deal over the contested Parthenon sculptures that signals recognition of their ownership by the British Museum, according to…

  8. · Euronews (outlet profile)

    We need to talk: Greek PM says efforts to return Parthenon Marbles must be revived. Talks on the future of the Parthenon Marbles appear to have reached an impasse according to new reports, as Greece's Prime Minister Kyr…

  9. · The Independent (outlet profile)

    What are the Elgin Marbles and why have talks over their ownership collapsed?

  10. · franceinfo (outlet profile)

    Dans une tribune, Athènes appelle Londres à faire preuve de "courage" pour restituer les frises du Parthénon. Cette prise de parole intervient alors que les discussions engagées depuis 2021 entre le British Museum et la…

  11. · Sud Ouest (outlet profile)

    Frises du Parthénon : la Grèce appelle le Royaume-Uni à faire preuve de courage pour restituer les sculptures antiques. Le Premier ministre grec Kyriakos Mitsotakis exhorte le gouvernement britannique à faire preuve de…

  12. · Российская газета (outlet profile)

    Греция призвала Британию проявить волю в возвращении фризов Парфенона. Премьер-министр Греции Кириакос Мицотакис в четверг призвал Лондон проявить "мужество" и "политическую волю" для урегулирования исторического спора…

  13. · ТАСС (outlet profile)

    Греция не примет соглашение, признающее право Британии на скульптуры Парфенона. Греческий премьер-министр Кириакос Мицотакис отметил, что британская общественность все больше склоняется на сторону Афин в этом вопросе

  14. · Politico Europe (outlet profile)

    Parthenon Marbles talks stall as Athens rejects loan proposal. The Greek prime minister has previously compared the removal of the sculptures from Athens to cutting Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” in half.

  15. · Libération (outlet profile)

    British Museum : Athènes veut récupérer ses frises du Parthénon, Londres dit toujours non. Dans une tribune publiée dans le «Guardian» ce jeudi 24 septembre, le Premier ministre grec, qui cherche désespérément à récupér…

  16. · CNews (outlet profile)

    Frises du Parthénon : pourquoi Athènes et Londres se disputent-elles ces trésors antiques ?. La Grèce a demandé Londres, ce jeudi 24 septembre, de lui restituer les sculptures du Parthénon conservées au British Museum.…

  17. · Politika (outlet profile)

    Повратак Партенонских мермера могућ уз политичку вољу и храброст. Грчки премијер Киријакос Мицотакис изјавио је данас да је и даље могуће постићи договор о повратку Партенонских мермера из Британског музеја у Грчку

Factual core

  • Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said efforts to return the Parthenon Marbles must be revived.
  • Talks over returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece have collapsed.
  • Greece has long sought the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the UK.
  • Mitsotakis said Greece cannot accept any arrangement that would require it to recognise the British Museum's ownership of the sculptures.
  • Elgin sold the collection to the British government, which transferred it to the British Museum in 1816.

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