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British of Lebanese origin Amal Alamuddin Clooney, a prominent lawyer specializing in international law and human rights, arrived in Athens this afternoon, accompanied by two eminent lawyers, namely Jeffrey Robertson and Norman Palmer. They will hold a series of meetings with both Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Minister of Culture Konstantinos Tasoulas in connection with the return of the Parthenon Marbles that are now in the British Museum.

The meeting of the three lawyers with the Minister of Culture will probably take place tomorrow and that with the Prime Minister on Wednesday. During their visit to Athens, the three will visit the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum.

The delegation of the three prominent lawyers arriving in Athens is extremely important. Both Geoffrey Robertson, head of the law firm Doughty Street Chambers that employs George Clooney’s wife and Norman Palmer, who are also honorary advisers to the Queen of England, know in depth international law, have extensive experience and have won cases related to the reunification of works of cultural heritage.

The team formally started to deal with the Greek issue in 2011 when it submitted to the Greek government at the time a report dedicated to the steps to return the Parthenon Marbles to their homeland, following the mediation of Australian David Hill, Chairman of the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures. Both lawyers began to deal with this issue even earlier, namely in the early 2000s.

In connection with the visit of the three lawyers to Athens, David Hill told the Australian newspaper Neos Kosmos that "Greece may have no other choice" than to ask for the Parthenon Marbles through the court.

Regardless of the outcome of the talks in Athens, it is certain that, due to the presence of young Mrs. Clooney, they have drawn the great interest of the mainstream media from around the world. Particularly excited by the topic is the British press that has been dealing with the issue over the past week, recalling all the fuss that was made in February during the Festival in Berlin where George Clooney publicly supported the return of the marbles to their homeland. "As if it was not enough that she stole the world’s most coveted bachelor, it now seems that she is also looking to steal the world’s most coveted marbles. Or, depending on your view, to liberate them", reads the British newspaper The Times in connection with the visit to Athens of the 36-year-old wife of the Hollywood star.

Disagreements about how to lodge the claims

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the visit of Amal Alamuddin Clooney to Greece, where she will most likely recommend that the Greek government resolve the dispute through the court, foreign experts have strongly opposed such a course of events.

President of the European Cultural Centre in Geneva Prof. Dusan Sidjanski warns in an extraordinary letter to Greek Prime Minister Samaras that such a decision could have disastrous consequences.

"The financial cost would be enormous, but most importantly, the probability of losing the case should not be excluded in view of the fact that the United Kingdom has a much greater international influence compared with Greece," emphasizes the Professor, suggesting that the Greek government should use Amal Alamuddin as a consultant, not as a lawyer. Chairman of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, Eddie O'Hara, who has a long experience in the British Parliament and the European Council supports this position as well.

"Starting a lawsuit is a complicated legal case and if there is no clear decision in favour of Greece, which would be extremely difficult to achieve, all efforts for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to their homeland will be thwarted," says the expert.