The so-called Elgin Marbles could soon be returned to Greece as the British Museum reportedly closes in on a landmark deal.

George Osborne, chairman of the British Museum and former Tory chancellor, is understood to have drawn up an agreement with Athens as part of a ‘cultural exchange,’ according to The Daily Telegraph.

The paper also cited unnamed sources as saying that the statues could be moved from London to Athens ‘sooner rather than later.’

It comes after the British government rejected Tory peer Lord Vaizey of Didcot’s call for a law change to make it easier for UK museums to deal with restitution requests.

Current legislation prevents treasures from being legally given away by the museum, but Osborne, its chairman, is reportedly seeking to repatriate the antiquities as part of a long-term ‘cultural exchange.’

Source: The Namibian Press Agency