ATHENS, Nov 12, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday
urged Britain to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, wading into a
decades-old dispute between the countries over the ownership of the
sculptures.
The ancient friezes, which include depictions of battles between mythical
ancient Greeks and centaurs, were taken by British diplomat Lord Elgin in the
early 19th century and are now on display at the British Museum in London.
Britain has always refused to return the carvings — often still known as
the Elgin Marbles — arguing that they were taken with the permission of
local Ottoman rulers at the time.
Xi toured the Acropolis Museum, built partly to house the Parthenon
Marbles, during a three-day visit to Athens and told his hosts he agreed with
them that the sculptures should be returned.
“I assure you of our support, because we also have many Chinese cultural
works outside our country that we are trying to recover,” Xi said on the last
day of his official visit.
Greece has been campaigning for three decades for their return, arguing
that the Ottoman empire was an occupying force and any permission granted
during its time is not valid.
Athens had once considered suing Britain over the issue, an action
reportedly championed by lawyer Amal Clooney.
But in recent years the Greek government has taken a more diplomatic
route, asking the UN’s cultural agency UNESCO to mediate, an offer rejected
by the British Museum.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, elected in July, made an official
request for the loan of marbles for the 200th anniversary celebrations of
Greek independence in 2021.
The British Museum has said it would examine any request from Greece to
borrow exhibits.