Talks between Greece and the British Museum over the Parthenon Marbles appear to have reached an impasse, according to a report in *The Telegraph*.
The British newspaper reports that at this time “no talks are taking place” between Athens and the British Museum regarding the Parthenon Marbles, and that the Greek side has made it clear that there are no plans to resume them in the immediate future.
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According to the report, the negotiations that began in 2021 have essentially stalled, with Athens appearing frustrated by the lack of progress and the inability to find a formula that could bypass the main point of contention: the issue of ownership of the Marbles.
This development, however, does not mean that all channels of communication between the two sides have been permanently severed.
The Greek Position on the Marbles
As recently as September 11, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated, during his meeting with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El Enany, that the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures is a long-standing priority for Greece.
Athens maintains that the sculptures currently in London are integral parts of the Parthenon monument and should be reunited with those on display at the Acropolis Museum.
According to the Ministry of Culture, approximately 60% of the surviving Parthenon sculptures are housed in the British Museum, while the remainder are located primarily in Athens.
The British Museum, for its part, states in its official position that the first formal Greek demand for the permanent return of the sculptures was made in 1983.
At the same time, it maintains that successive Greek governments have refused to recognize the Museum’s curators’ ownership of the sculptures.
The Thorn in the Side of the “Loan”
At the heart of the dispute lies the legal framework under which the return of the sculptures to Athens could take place.
The British Museum maintains that, under current British law, it cannot permanently transfer objects from its collection and can only make them available through a loan.
A contractual loan arrangement, however, presupposes recognition of the ownership of the party lending the object. This is a point of contention for Athens, which does not accept that the British Museum legally acquired ownership of the Marbles.
The “hybrid” solution that did not move forward
In previous years, the two sides attempted to find a compromise that would not require either party to abandon its official legal position.
In this context, a so-called “hybrid agreement” was considered, which would avoid both the condition of a permanent transfer and a formal loan.
The plan called for the return of a significant number of sculptures to Athens for an extended period, with Greece providing, in exchange, important antiquities for periodic exhibitions in London.
In 2024, the discussions were described as “quite advanced,” while the British Museum referred to “constructive” talks.
However, in November 2025, Kyriakos Mitsotakis publicly admitted that progress had not been as he would have liked. At the same time, he had left open the possibility that new opportunities might arise due to the major renovation of the British Museum and, in particular, the Duveen Gallery, where the sculptures are on display.
Telegraph: Regular communication has ceased
According to the Telegraph, efforts to find a compromise have failed, and regular communication between Athens and the British Museum has now ceased.
A source cited by the newspaper reports that there are currently no active talks, while the Greek side is said to have made it clear that it does not expect an immediate return to the negotiating table.
The channels of communication, however, have not been permanently closed, leaving open the possibility that the situation could change in the future.
For its part, the British Museum continues, in the latest public statement posted on its website, to state that it is seeking a “new partnership for the Parthenon” and describes discussions with Greece as “constructive and ongoing.”
Why Athens Rejects the Bayeux Tapestry Model
This development comes in the wake of the opening of the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum, as part of a loan agreement between Britain and France.
The agreement calls for the Tapisserie to be on display in London from 2026 to 2027, in exchange for the loan of significant antiquities to France.
The director of the British Museum, Nicholas Callinan, had hinted that this model could serve as a precedent for an agreement regarding the Parthenon Marbles.
According to the Telegraph, however, this approach was not well received by Athens.
The Greek side points out a fundamental difference between the two cases: in the case of the Bayeux Tapestry, its ownership is not disputed, whereas in the case of the Parthenon Sculptures, the issue of legal title is at the very heart of the dispute.
Thus, despite efforts in recent years to find a compromise, the issue of ownership remains the main obstacle to reaching an agreement between Athens and the British Museum.
Source: newsit.gr
