The British Museum is in talks with Athens over a possible new deal which could see some of the Elgin Marbles returned, possibly on a long-term loan basis.
The Greek government had, since the early 1980s, repeatedly requested the return of the marbles.
However, a new report by Sir Noel Malcolm, a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University for centre-right think tank Policy Exchange, has claimed that the marbles could be at risk of being kept in Greece if loaned out by the British Museum.
Malcolm argues that "whatever promises Athens makes, or whatever items it offers in temporary exchange, the risks that the marbles will not be returned to London are too great".
A recent survey by the think tank showed that only 11% of the British public thought that Greece would honour a loan agreement and return the sculptures.
In contrast, the Greek government claims that the marbles were forcibly taken during the Ottoman Empire's occupation of Greece and should now be returned, alongside a campaign by government representatives, actors and celebrities calling for their repatriation.
The Government argues the country should have ownership of its cultural heritage.
However, the British Museum maintains that the marbles were legally acquired by Lord Elgin and are part of world heritage.
Meanwhile, according to The Telegraph, the British Museum's potential willingness to consider such a deal is not due to any change in the arguments surrounding ownership of the marbles, but rather as a response to encouragement from the government, keen on improving cultural ties between the two countries post-Brexit.