British PM fuels diplomatic dispute with Greece over Parthenon sculptures

Greek flag flutters in front of the Parthenon Temple atop the Acropolis archaeological site in Athens, Greece, November 29, 2023. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki

ATHENS/LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fuelled a diplomatic row with Athens on Wednesday by accusing his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis of "grandstanding" during a recent trip to London over ownership of the Parthenon sculptures.

Sunak told parliament he had cancelled a planned meeting with Mitsotakis in London on Tuesday after the Greek premier broke a promise not to use his trip as an opportunity to advocate for the return of the sculptures, known in Britain as the Elgin Marbles, from the British Museum.