Talks between British Museum and Greece on returning the Elgin Marbles ‘are well advanced’ – as Keir Starmer faces showdown with Greek PM TODAY as No10 insists ancient artefacts WON’T be permanently returning to Athens

Tallks over the British Museum returning the Elgin marbles to Athens are ‘well advanced’, it was reported last night.

The ownership of the artefacts, which saw former prime minister Rishi Sunak clash with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis last year, is expected to be low down on the agenda for when the latter meets Sir Keir Starmer today.

While Downing Street has insisted its position on the Elgin marbles ‘has not changed’, representatives from Britain and Greece are reportedly moving closer to finding a solution.

Talks between the Greek foreign ministry and the British Museum’s chairman, George Osborne, are edging towards ‘an agreement in principle’ to return the artefacts to Athens.

‘The mood music has completely changed, a source close to the negotiations told The Guardian.

The marbles, also known as The Parthenon Sculptures, are a series of Ancient Greek sculptures created between 447BC and 432BC by Greek architect Phidias.

After standing for 2,000 years, the Acropolis was for the most part destroyed as the Ottoman Empire – who at the time ruled Greece – became embroiled in a war with Venice.

The remaining sculptures were removed from the ruins of the Parthenon by Lord Elgin, then British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and brought to Britain between 1802 and 1812.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to raise the long-running dispute over the Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Sculptures, when he meets Sir Keir

Talks between the Greek foreign ministry and the British Museum’s chairman, George Osborne, are edging towards ‘an agreement in principle’ to return the artefacts to Athens

In 1816, the marbles were handed over to the care of the British Museum, where they have remained ever since.

Talks between the British Museum and Greece over the return of the Elgin marbles have been ongoing since 2021.

Greek foreign minister said in the months after Labour’s election victory that he believed a deal was ‘relatively close’,

And Greek newspaper Ta Nea recently claimed that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy was ‘keen to talk’ to Greece about giving back the marbles.

But yesterday a Greek government spokesman denied reports that its Prime Minister recently engaged personally in the talks, or that Athens would accept an agreement that acknowledged British ownership of the artefacts – which had previously been a sticking point of a loan deal.

The Elgin Marbles were made between 447BC and 432BC and decorated the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens

The Elgin Marbles in the Parthenon Galleries at the British Museum

‘There has been no private meeting of the prime minister in recent weeks linked to the sculptures as has been reported,’ the spokesman said.

And Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said: ‘It remains a matter for the British Museum and the government has no plans to change the law that would permit a permanent move of the Parthenon sculptures.’

A British Museum spokesman said: ‘Discussions with Greece about a Parthenon Partnership are on-going and constructive.

‘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.’