Tony BlairPrime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2007, considered sharing the UK Marble Parthenon With Greece in 2003 as a way to gain Greek support for hosting the 2012 London Olympics.
According to the documents he revealed National Archives of the United Kingdom, Sarah HunterCultural Counselor BlairIn April 2003, I asked him to consider “transferring” the artworks to Greece to gain the support of the country that had just assumed the presidency of the European Union.
“Marbles can be a powerful bargaining chip in a vote International Olympic Committee (International Olympic Committee) to host the Olympic Games in 2012. The publicity associated with this action could secure Greece's candidacy and help obtain a wide range of other votes from International Olympic CommitteeAlthough we will have to protect ourselves from other countries demanding reciprocal measures.” Hunter In a letter to the Prime Minister.
These marbles were found in British Museum, Londonwas taken by the Scot Lord Elgin In the nineteenth century Greece repeatedly claimed ownership of it. The goal of this transfer is to display the marble in a museum dedicated to Parthenon Until now Acropolis Athens in time for the 2004 Olympic Games held in the Greek capital.
The position of the British government at the time was that this was a decision The British Museum Then the Minister of Culture, Tessa Joelto caution Blair That any task will become permanent.
In November of this year, Rishi SunakThe current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom canceled a meeting with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos MitsotakisThe possession of these antiquities will be discussed.
According to British media. Snack He decided to cancel this meeting yet MisotakisThis was in an interview with the British Network BBCHe claimed ownership of the marble and said that parts of it existed Parthenon In Greece and parts of London it was a 'partition'. Mona Lisa in two”.
Source: Efi
[Fotos de archivo: AP Foto (Matt Dunham, File) y EFE/AFP Photo (Daniel Leal]
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