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Greece Rejects Parthenon Marbles Loan Offer |
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ATHENS (AFP) — Greece on Thursday turned down a British Museum loan offer for the long-disputed Parthenon Marbles, arguing that acceptance would "legalise their snatching" by a 19th century British diplomat. "The government, as any other Greek government would have done in its place, is obliged to turn down the offer," Culture Minister Antonis Samaras said in a statement. |
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"This is because accepting it would legalise the snatching of the Marbles and the monument's carving-up 207 years ago," Samaras said. |
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| He was responding to statements by British Museum spokeswoman Hannah Boulton who told Greek Skai Radio on Wednesday that the museum could consider loaning the Marbles to Greece for three months. But Greece would have to recognise the museum's ownership rights to the sculptures, she said. |
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| Samaras on Friday said he is prepared to discuss other Greek antiquity offers to "fill the gap" in the British Museum should the Marbles return home. Greece has long pursued a campaign for the return of the priceless friezes, removed in 1806 by Lord Elgin when Greece was occupied by the Ottoman Empire and later sold to the British Museum. A new museum for the remaining parts of the frieze and other sculptures from the Acropolis is scheduled to open on June 20. Greece has invited foreign leaders and museum officials to attend the five-day inauguration which it hopes will pile pressure on the British Museum to return the Marbles |
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