LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) – The UK is engaged on a brand new association with Greece by means of which the Parthenon Sculptures could possibly be seen each in London and in Athens, British Museum chair George Osborne stated on Thursday, describing it as a win-win scenario.
Osborne, a former finance minister, reiterated that the museum was having constructive talks with the Greek authorities concerning the marbles which have been a supply of dispute between the 2 European international locations for hundreds of years.
“It is a very exhausting drawback to resolve,” Osborne informed BBC Radio. “However I feel there’s a means ahead the place these sculptures, the Elgin Marbles, the Parthenon Sculptures, could possibly be seen each in London and in Athens, and that can be a win-win for Greece and for us.”
When requested if that meant loans, he stated: “we’re speaking to the Greek authorities about that, a couple of new association and what I did not need to do is drive the Greeks to just accept issues that they discover unattainable, and equally they can not drive on us issues that we might discover unattainable.”
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The Greek authorities has stated it was in talks over repatriation of the sculptures, which had been eliminated by British diplomat Lord Elgin from the imposing Parthenon temple in Athens within the early nineteenth century.
However Osborne dominated out a state of affairs the place the sculptures could possibly be handed over completely, saying it will want a change of UK legislation.
“If we needed to ship all of the Elgin Marbles again then that may require an act of parliament, and that may be past my authority,” he stated. “However what the museum can do is try to kind a brand new relationship with Greece.”
“I am fairly optimistic.”
Reporting by Muvija M; Modifying by Alistair Smout
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