There is a subdued confidence in Athens that the Parthenon Marbles are the closest they ever have been to coming home.
Officials in Greece and the general public appear more confident than ever that a deal with the British Museum can be reached, and all this despite another small setback this week which saw British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rule out changing legislation that would allow the British Museum to permanently repatriate the Parthenon Marbles.
A spokesman for the prime minister told reporters in London this week that there were no plans to amend the British Museum Act 1963, which prohibits the museum from deaccessioning objects with limited exceptions.
For its part, the British Museum has said it will only operate within the law regarding any potential deals about the Parthenon Marbles.
It all comes amid reports that the institution is close to reaching a deal with Greece to resolve the decades-long stalemate over the 2,500-year-old sculptures.
Those reports escalated recently when it was revealed that the British Museum’s chair George Osborne has held secret talks with Greek government officials in recent months, culminating in a meeting with the country’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis last week.
According to the Greek daily newspaper Ta Nea, a proposed deal could see the sculptures displayed at the purpose-built Acropolis Museum in Athens as early as spring 2023.
Details regarding the agreement have not been made clear, with many speculating it could be a long-term loan arrangement involving Greek treasures traveling to the British Museum in return.