Possible deal on Parthenon Sculptures

Negotiations with British Museum are advanced; finding ‘win-win’ formula for return not easy

Talks between Greek officials and the management of London’s British Museum for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures appropriated more than two centuries ago are at an advanced stage, but the main issue may prove to be in the details.

A person knowledgeable about the negotiations has told Kathimerini that neither the optimistic nor the doomsday scenario about the fate of the talks are true: it is not that only details remain to be ironed out but neither is an impasse imminent. According to the same person, “we have agreed on 80% of the issues.” But even advancing an additional 1% is not easy, they add.

Both sides are trying to square the circle: returning the sculptures to add them to the existing ones in the Acropolis Museum must be deemed a “loan,” albeit a permanent one.

There are three issues standing in the way of an agreement. First and most importantly is how many of the sculptures removed in the early 19th century from their site by the 7th Earl Elgin (legally, he insisted) and brought to the UK will be repatriated. At a minimum, the Greek officials want the integrity of the Parthenon frieze to be restored, which could mean that the Caryatid, or maiden built as a column of the Erechtheion temple, might stay behind or be sent to Greece at a later date.

Kathimerini understands that there is a gap in the positions of Greece and the British Museum as to how many non-frieze sculptures will be returned. Greece also wants the return option to be left open so as to avoid the impression that any of the sculptures are to stay in London permanently.

The second sticking point is the timeline for their return, with Athens seeking the fastest possible time. On their part, British Museum managers want the “loan,” which would include exhibitions of antiquities sent from Greece in return, to be gradual.

Third, there are issues with the legal formula that will be used in the agreement. The British side wants to avoid any litigation against the agreement in UK courts and Greece wants to avoid any definition implying that it is ceding ownership of the sculptures.

Dr Nicholas Cullinan, the British Museum’s director, has told the Times of London that plans are taking shape. This reflects the reality of the negotiations, but it is also true that the distance the two sides have to cover to bridge their differences could be longer than desired.

Source: ekathimerini.com