Sunak cancellation politically motivated
Athens attributes British PM’s decision to electoral considerations and pro-Turkish policy shift
In the wake of the unprecedented spat with London, Athens believes the reasons behind the cancellation at the 11th hour of the meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis by British counterpart Rishi Sunak on Monday evening were not a supposed “agreement” between the two sides not to discuss the Parthenon Sculptures issue, but political and diplomatic.
The Greek government also rejects the argument that Sunak was dismayed by the meeting between Mitsotakis and Labour leader Keir Starmer, since, as the director of the Prime Minister’s Press Office Dimitris Tsiodras said publicly, the meeting was scheduled and known to the British PM.
Rather, the Greek government sees political motives and electoral planning behind the British prime minister’s “inappropriate” behavior, as he wanted to “shuffle the pack” in this way since he is almost 20 points behind his main rival, Starmer, who has a more conciliatory position on the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures. Apparently, being under political pressure, Sunak chose to do something that would boost his popularity among the approximately 40% of Britons who are against the return of the sculptures.
Government officials also point to the strong pro-Turkish turn Britain took under Sunak, which “cannot pass unheeded.”
The UK, together with Spain, is striving for the acceptance of Turkey’s request to a consortium, in which Berlin is also involved, for the supply of Eurofighter jets.
To this end, last week British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps visited Ankara, where he met with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler. “Britain and Turkey are moving together on many things. The British support Turkey on many issues, so do they with the Eurofighters,” Turkish media said on Tuesday.
The government was further dismayed on Tuesday after the British side leaked that there was an “agreement” between the two sides that there would be no discussion on the Parthenon Sculptures.
“This is neither true nor could it be true,” government sources told Kathimerini, adding that it goes without saying that when the Greek prime minister is in Britain he will raise the issue publicly. The same sources add that the British prime minister’s refusal to hold the meeting reveals his lack of arguments against Greece’s claim.
However, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said publicly on Tuesday that Athens does not want the British PM’s inappropriate attitude to take the form of a generalized crisis in Greek-British relations.
