Talks between UK, Greece over Parthenon Marbles 'constructive'

United Kingdom officials have indicated the cultural dispute over the Parthenon Marbles was not expected to be a priority on the agenda when Prime Minister Keir Starmer met his Greek counterpart in London on Tuesday.

However, negotiations on a deal for the return of the ancient artifacts have made significant progress, according to Greek government sources.

While Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was expected to raise the contentious issue during his meeting with Starmer, Downing Street emphasized that discussions will focus on regional security issues.

Ahead of the meeting, Starmer said he hoped to "build on our strong bilateral relationship and to talk about our common issues".

Mitsotakis said Greece saw "the United Kingdom as integral in addressing the security challenges that we are facing".

The sculptures, which are also known as the Elgin Marbles, were taken from Athens to the UK in the early 1800s, and Greece wants them back. However, the British Museum says it legally owns them.

The marbles have been on display at the museum since 1816 after they were purchased from Lord Elgin, a British diplomat who removed them from Athens during Ottoman rule.

The Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday that talks about the marbles had advanced since Starmer's Labour Party succeeded the Conservative Party government in a July election.

While UK law prevents the British Museum from giving the marbles back to Greece, reports suggest negotiations have centered on a possible long-term loan deal.

"Discussions with Greece about a Parthenon partnership are ongoing and constructive," said a British Museum spokesperson on Tuesday.

"We believe that this kind of long-term partnership would strike the right balance between sharing our greatest objects with audiences around the world, and maintaining the integrity of the incredible collection we hold at the museum."

With terms now understood to be set, sources say talks have shifted to logistics, including how to safely move the artifacts from the UK to Greece.

UK-Greece relations are said to be improving after a diplomatic spat last year when former prime minister Rishi Sunak canceled talks with Mitsotakis over the marbles issue.