Elgin Marbles row erupts as Greek PM accuses Sunak of cancelling meeting at 11th hour
The Independent says A diplomatic row has erupted after Rishi Sunak was accused of cancelling a meeting with the Greek prime minister at the 11th hour.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed disappointment that the prime minister cancelled the meeting in which he planned to raise the prospect of the return of the Elgin Marbles during his visit to London.
The British government confirmed the meeting had been shelved, as Mr Mitsotakis rejected an alternative meeting with the deputy prime minister.
The diplomatic spat comes after Mr Mitsotakis had used an interview ahead of the anticipated talks to push for the return of the Elgin Marbles, saying the current situation was like the Mona Lisa painting being cut in half.
Athens has long demanded the return of the historic works, also known as the Parthenon Sculptures, which were removed from Greece by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century when he was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.