GREECE TO SPEAK TO BRITISH MUSEUM NEXT MONTH ABOUT LOAN OF ARTIFACTS

PARTHENON MARBLES
Greece to speak to British Museum next month about loan of artifacts

Greek officials and representatives of the British Museum may discuss possibly loaning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece when they meet on May 4, Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis said yesterday. Voulgarakis was reacting to comments by Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Museum, who said that "in principle" the antiquities could spend three or six months in another country. However, MacGregor told Bloomberg News that the Greek government would first have to admit the Parthenon Marbles belong to the British Museum. "The Greek government has never asked for a loan of the material from the British Museum. The issue has always been about the permanent removal of all the Parthenon material in the BM collection to Athens," said MacGregor. Voulgarakis said he read the comments "with interest.."

Source: ekathimerini