The Greek Prime Minister has issued a fresh call for the Elgin Marbles to be returned to Greece in an awkward clash with Boris Johnson at Downing Street.
Kyriakos Mitchellsotakis brought up the topic of the sculptures that date back to 2,500 years, otherwise known as Parthenon Marbles.
Johnson said that there wasn’t anything he could do. He also reiterated Britain’s traditional position, that the matter was about the British Museums trustees.
The sculptures are believed to date back to the 5th Century BC and were taken by Elgin (a diplomat) from Athens’ Acropolis more than 200 years earlier.
Kyriakos Mitchells (left) pledged to improve the fate of the iconic statues at the British Museum when he met Boris Johnson (right).
Lord Elgin was the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the 19th Century. He took 17 marbles and a part of the frieze which decorated the monument at Acropolis, which dates back 2,500 years.
The sculptures are believed to date back to the 5th Century BC and were taken by Elgin (a diplomat) from Athens’ Acropolis more than 200 years earlier
Politicians, including Jeremy Corbyn, have backed returning the Marbles – but the Government insists they were purchased legitimately and have been painstakingly preserved in the UK.
Last year, the EU proposed that the Marbles might be returned as part of the Brexit trade agreement.
Raising the issue at Downing Street on Tuesday, Mr Mitsotakis demanded the return of the Parthenon Sculptures.
Mr Johnson said that he understood the strength of feeling from the Greek people on this issue, but reiterated the UK’s position on the sculptures – which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.
Leaders agreed that this issue does not affect the strength of UK-Greece’s partnership.
Good Morning Britain’s Tuesday Morning host, Mr Mitsotakis, joined Good Morning Britain to ask for the Elgin Marbles back before meeting the PM.
He stated to GMB of ITV that they are there because Lord Elgin took them.
“But, at the end, this isn’t a legal argument. I don’t want to discuss the return of marbles.
‘I love to discuss the reunification marbles.
“You’ll see only half, and that is why you have a beautiful modern museum under the acropolis.
“We support the reunification and preservation of marbles. This is what I’m going to do, make my case to British Prime Minster.”
Good Morning Britain was joined by Mr Mitsotakis on Tuesday morning, to ask for the Elgin Marbles’ return before he meets with the PM
Mr Mitsotakis and Mr Johnson were photographed at Downing Street during Tuesday’s meeting
Lord Elgin was the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the 19th Century. He took 17 marbles and a part of the frieze which decorated the monument at Acropolis, which dates back 2,500 years.
Britain believes that Elgin legally acquired the sculptures when Greece was under the Ottomans.
According to a Greek spokesperson, the obligation to return Parthenon sculptures to their rightful owners is up to the United Kingdom government. Mr Oikonomou stated.
He added that the Greek request for government-to-government talks on the issue was backed by the United Nations’ cultural agency, Unesco.
Greece stated that the Acropolis Museum in Greece, opened in 2009 and would display the sculptures again if necessary.
Mr Johnson earlier this year ruled out returning the marbles to Greece, telling Greek newspaper Ta Nea: ‘I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed Prime Minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.
“But the UK Government maintains a strong and long-standing position about the sculptures, which is that Lord Elgin legally acquired them according to the relevant laws at the time. They have also been legally owned legally by the British Museum’s Trustees ever since they were purchased.
The Elgin Marbles include inscriptions, sculptures, and architectural pieces made of classic Greek marble. They were mostly designed by Phidias and other assistants.
Thomas Bruce (7th Earl of Elgin), was the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire between 1799 and 1803. He removed Parthenon Marble from Athens’ Acropolis.
1801, Earl claims to have received a permission from Ottoman officials to remove parts from the Parthenon.
Elgin needed permission to visit the Acropolis, which was a Ottoman military fort.
The agents of his agent removed the half-dead sculptures as well as the architectural elements and sculpture from Propylaea or Erechtheum.
The excavation and removal was completed in 1812 at a personal cost of around £70,000.
These sculptures were sent to Britain by the Scots aristocrat, who was then accused in Greece of vandalism and looting.
The British Government bought them in 1816. They were then placed in the British Museum. The original Duveen Gallery still houses them.
Through the years, Greece tried to get their return from Britain’s Museum but was unsuccessful.
There has been much debate about the authenticity of Elgin’s permission to remove sculptures from Parthenon. This is especially because the original document was lost. It was believed to be illegal by many.
Some argue however that because the Ottomans held Athens under their control since 1460 the Ottomans’ claims to artifacts are legal and identifiable.