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.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled to his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the UK government wouldn’t block a potential deal to hand back the Parthenon sculptures, people familiar with the matter said.

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

Will the new Labour government help Greece secure the return of the Parthenon marbles, held at the British Museum since 1816?

UK law prevents the British Museum from permanently returning the sculptures to Greece. Talks are reportedly underway about a long-term loan, but the government has said it will not change the law to enable their permanent removal.

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

According to official sources cited by The Guardian, discussions between Greece's Foreign Ministry and the chairman of the British Museum, George Osborne, are nearing a potential deal to return the sculptures to Athens. "The mood music has completely changed," said one source close to the negotiations.

The issue of the Parthenon Marbles is expected to be raised by Mitsotakis when he meets his UK counterpart Sir Keir Starmer in London.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Kyriakos Mitsotakis to 10 Downing St. for talks focused on migration, the war in Ukraine and efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Starmer’s office said the fate of the marbles was not on the British leader’s agenda.