LONDON - Britain's new Heritage Secretary, Mr Chris Smith, yesterday ruled out returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece.
"We decided it was not a feasible or sensible option. We won't do it," Mr Smith said. The return of the classical sculptures, brought to London nearly 200 years ago from Athens, has been a longstanding Greek demand, first put to the British government by the late actress and culture minister, Melina Mercouri.