Greece is buoyed by a Turkish official’s comments about Parthenon sculptures taken by Britain

By ELENA BECATOROS and SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s culture minister says the comments made by a Turkish official at a UNESCO meeting last week, casting doubt on the existence of proof long cited by Britain that it had legally acquired the Parthenon Marbles, have bolstered Athens’ stand in the dispute. The 2,500-year-old sculptures were taken in the early 19th century from the Acropolis in Athens and are housed at the British Museum. Greece has long campaigned for their return. The museum maintains they were removed legally after Ottoman authorities granted an imperial edict to do so. However, the head of the Turkish Culture Ministry’s anti-smuggling committee, said at the UNESCO meeting that no such document has been found.