UK officials hinted Tuesday that a deal was in the works with Greece to end a decades-long dispute over the highly contested and priceless Parthenon Marbles.A spokesman for Starmer later indicated that the UK government would not stand in the way of any agreement between Greece and the British Museum to end the centuries-old saga.

Greece’s prime minister is in London on for his first top-level U.K. meeting since a spat last year over the contested Parthenon Marbles.

The Parthenon Marbles were off the agenda of meeting between Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his British counterpart Keir Starmer.

Sir Keir Starmer ruled out discussing a return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece in his meeting with his Greek counterpart on Tuesday despite claims from Athens that progress had been made on the issue.

Behind-the-scenes efforts, not the meeting with Starmer, focus on the Parthenon Marbles – Greek-British relations, crucial in a critical period, must be put back on track

These meetings are said to have occurred this year, indicating a possible shift in the longstanding dispute over the artifacts, which have been housed in the British Museum for over two centuries.Sky News revealed that up to three "private meetings" have taken place this year between Mitsotakis,

Talks over the Elgin Marbles being returned to Athens from the British Museum are said to be “well advanced” ahead of the Greek prime minister’s visit.

Greece’s prime minister visited London on Tuesday for his first top-level U.K. meeting since a spat last year over the contested Parthenon Marbles, as the British Museum said talks with Greece on a deal over the antiquities are constructive.