Greek officials angry and puzzled after UK’s Sunak scraps leaders’ meeting over Parthenon Marbles

By JILL LAWLESS and DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Greek officials say they will continue talks with the British Museum on bringing the Parthenon Marbles back to Athens. That’s despite U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak canceling a meeting with his Greek counterpart where the contested antiquities were due to be discussed. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis planned to raise Greece’s decades-old demand for the return of the ancient sculptures when he met Sunak at 10 Downing St. on Tuesday. Sunak called off the meeting hours before it was due to take place, sparking a diplomatic row between the two European allies. Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tsiodras said that despite the snub, discussions “are ongoing with the British Museum” over the marbles’ return.