![\"Starmer](\"https:\/\/www.ekathimerini.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Mitsotakis-Starmer-AP-320x200.jpg?v=1733227969\")
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Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shake hands during a meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain, on 3 December 2024. [Carlos Jasso\/EPA]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Greece\u2019s prime minister is in London on Tuesday for his first top-level UK meeting since a spat last year over the contested Parthenon Marbles.<\/p>\n
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Kyriakos Mitsotakis to 10 Downing St. for talks focused on migration, the war in Ukraine and efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Starmer\u2019s office said the fate of the marbles was not on the British leader\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n
At the start of the meeting, Starmer said he hoped to \u201cbuild on our strong bilateral relationship and to talk about our common issues.\u201d Mitsotakis said Greece saw \u201cthe United Kingdom as integral in addressing the security challenges that we are facing, not just in Ukraine but also in southeastern Europe and the Middle East.\u201d<\/p>\n
The marbles are part of a 2,500-year-old frieze that was taken from Athens in the early 19th century by British diplomat Lord Elgin and put on display in the British Museum. Athens says they were removed illegally and wants them returned so they can be displayed alongside the rest of the Parthenon sculptures at a purpose-built museum in Athens.<\/p>\n
Relations between Britain and Greece have thawed since then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak canceled a meeting with Mitsotakis at the last minute in November 2023 after the Greek leader compared the removal of the sculptures from Athens to cutting Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s \u201cMona Lisa\u201d in half.<\/p>\n
Sunak accused Mitsotakis of trying to \u201cgrandstand and relitigate issues of the past\u201d and reneging on a promise not to bring up the issue in public.<\/p>\n
British Museum Chairman George Osborne, a former Conservative politician, later suggested Sunak had thrown a \u201chissy fit.\u201d<\/p>\n
The British Museum is banned by law from giving the marbles back to Greece, but extensive talks have been held on a long-term loan arrangement. The Guardian reported Tuesday that the negotiations had made progress since Starmer\u2019s center-left Labour Party has replaced the previous Conservative government after an election in July.<\/p>\n
Starmer has pledged to reset Britain\u2019s relations with its European neighbors after years of acrimony over the UK\u2019s departure from the European Union.<\/p>\n
The British Museum said talks on \u201ca Parthenon partnership\u201d were \u201congoing and constructive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Starmer spokesman Dave Pares said loaning the artifacts \u201cremains a matter for the British Museum.\u201d He said the government \u201chas no plans to change the law to permit a permanent move of the Parthenon sculptures.\u201d<\/p>\n
[AP]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n