Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held their first official meeting at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday, and they discussed a host of issues, but not the Parthenon marbles.
The two prime ministers discussed deepening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, education, defense, shipping, and tourism. Both leaders agreed to “double-down” on their approaches to migration.
They discussed support for Ukraine and the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza. These were both raised in light of Greece’s upcoming role as a rotating non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2025-2026, to which the UK is a permanent member.
The issue of the Parthenon Sculptures, a hotly awaited topic and ongoing debate, was raised by Mitsotakis according to To Vima, although Starmer reportedly stated that the issue was not on the British government’s agenda.
Discussions between Greece and the British Museum about a possible “Parthenon partnership” are ongoing. While Starmer has said he won’t obstruct an agreement with the museum, his government spokesperson has said no plans to amend the law to enable the permanent return of the sculptures.
The two premiers also discussed the Cyprus issue, where Mitsotakis expressed hope for renewed negotiations following a recent UN-hosted meeting.
Both leaders agreed to maintain close communication to advance these shared priorities.
A recent opinion poll of respondents in Great Britain of particular interest back in Greece shows a majority of Brits in favor of repatriation—from the British Museum in London—of the Parthenon marbles.
The results of the poll, conducted by YouGov, show 53% in favor of the prospect, out of a total sample of 4,280 respondents.
Conversely, 24% of respondents stated that they favor the friezes remaining where they are; 23% were non-committal.
The question uses the term “Elgin Marbles,” as the exquisite marble friezes are also known in the United Kingdom, using the name of the rogue Scottish diplomat who had the friezes hacked off the Parthenon on the Acropolis during the twilight of the Ottoman occupation and shipped back to England by boat.
