The British government rules out any return of the Parthenon friezes to Greece

Hope for an early return to Greece of the Parthenon friezes held by the British Museum soon faded. Pieces of information transferred on January 3 before Daily The telegraphThe British government has denied any plans to return this 75-meter-long ancient treasure, which Greek authorities have claimed for decades. “I’ve been very clear about this: I don’t think so [les frises] He must return to Greece, The Conservative Minister for Culture, Michelle Donnellan, said in an interview with the BBC, Tuesday 11 January. They belong to the United KingdomAnd Where we took care of them for a long time. »

In his eyes, these sculptures were legally acquired in 1802 by British diplomat Lord Elgin, before being sold to the British Museum. The purchase was indeed legal, but it could be argued that Greece was then under Ottoman occupationHowever, it specifies Globalism French archaeologist Jean-Paul Demoux, remembers that Opened in 2009, the new Acropolis Museum immediately planned the place for the Elgin Marbles, currently occupied by moldings whose brief character is an invitation to replace them with original pieces. »

In early December 2022, the Greek daily newspaper your nia He stressed that secret negotiations on this issue have been going on for more than a year between the two countries. The head of the British Museum, George Osborne, former Chancellor of the Exchequer in David Cameron’s government, is said to have met at least twice with the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. In the same month, Pope Francis also set an example by announcing the return to the Orthodox Archbishop of Athens of three parts of the Parthenon kept in the Vatican Museums. Jan 3 The telegraph He held the assertion that George Osborne was in the process of concluding an agreement with Athens to return these parts to Greece under a long-term loan for a hundred years.

There is no unequivocal position

“That’s definitely not his intention.”Michelle Donnellan refuted, believing that George Osborne’s position was “misinterpretation”. For her, this redemption would set an unfortunate precedent by opening up “Pandora’s Box”. The British Museum is already in sight of Nigeria, which is demanding the return of 900 Benin City bronzes held by the Museum of London. But a 1963 law, drafted in the aftermath of independence in Africa to protect against claims from newly liberated colonies, greatly limits the museum’s relocation possibilities.

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