Culture Minister Constantinos Tassoulas made it clear yesterday that Greece was not yet preparing for legal action to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles. He also added that Greece would exhaust the mediation procedure with UNESCO.”

The statements followed his meeting with UK barristers Amal Alamuddin Clooney and Geoffrey Robertson QC, founder of the London-based legal firm Doughty Street Chambers, members of a legal team that is advising the Greek government on how to secure the repatriation of the Marbles.

Meanwhile, addressing the press, Alamuddin underlined that the Greek government “has just cause” to call for the repatriation of the artifacts and that “it’s time for the British Museum to recognise that”, adding that the “the injustice has persisted for too long." Earlier in the day, the legal team had a meeting with PM Antonis Samaras, in which the Greek Premier welcomed the valuable support given to Greece in its efforts for the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

It is noted that the World Heritage Organization UNESCO had invited the British government last week to enter into mediation with Greece over the issue of the Parthenon Marbles. The British side has had six months to deliberate and answer. If it agrees to take part in the process, it would mark the first time that UNESCO would act as a mediator between countries facing a cultural dispute.