Hitting a dead end on the diplomatic route

Does Greece have a chance of achieving the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures? Yes, it does, but only under certain conditions.

In diplomacy, public rhetoric is used as a lever to exert pressure and negotiations as a means of reaching an agreement, and there is a fine balance in how you use them to accomplish a specific end. Positive public opinion polls create a certain climate but they do not tip the balance if a government is not also coming under very strong pressure from its citizens. The British have no reason to capitulate to Greek pressure nor to be swayed by public statements. For the governments of Britain, maintaining the status quo carries no political cost. And this means that Athens needs to look elsewhere for a solution. 

The demand for the marbles' reunification gained strong momentum in the 1980s. The charismatic Jules Dassin was instrumental...