British PM Rishi Sunak cancels meeting with Greek PM due to row over ancient sculptures

PM Sunak cancels meeting with Greek PM Mitsotakis over Elgin Marbles. Mitsotakis had hoped to discuss Gaza, Ukraine, climate change and migration. He expressed annoyance at cancellation and said Greece's position on sculptures is well known. Labour leader Starmer has reportedly shown willingness to lend marbles to Athens if he comes to power. U.K. has cultural treasures obtained using questionable means, such as 'Koh-i-noor' diamond.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled his meeting with visiting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday, over the latter’s comments on ancient sculptures housed in the British Museum. Mr Mitsotakis was instead offered a meeting with the U.K.’s Deputy Prime Minister , which he declined.

The Parthenon Sculptures or Elgin Marbles, which date back to the 5th Century BCE, were bought by the British Museum in 1816 from Thomas Bruce (“Lord Elgin“) who was, at the time, the British Ambassador to the former Ottoman Empire. A part of the sculpture is still in Athens, housed in the Acropolis Museum. Critics have claimed that Lord Elgin stole the sculptures. The British Museum refutes this claim on its website, saying his acquisition was “entirely legal”.

Mr Mitsotakis, who heads Greece’s centre-right New Democracy party, was re-elected in June this year and had said he would see a return of the marbles to their original home if re-elected.

Speaking to the BBC while in London, Mr Mitsotakis had compared the situation to cutting the Mona Lisa in half and splitting it between the Musée du Louvre Paris (where it is currently housed) and the British Museum.

Mr Mitsotakis said he had hoped to discuss not just the sculptures, but also Gaza, Ukraine, climate change and migration with Mr Sunak.

“I express my annoyance at the fact that the British Prime Minister canceled our scheduled meeting a few hours before it was due to take place,” Mr Mitsotakis said in a statement, in which he said Greece’s position on the sculptures was well known.