News In Brief

Melina Mercouri deplores decision on Elgin marbles

Melina Mercouri, the Greek minister of culture, deplored Wednesday Britain's refusal to return to Greece sculptures taken from the Parthenon early in the 19 th century.

On Tuesday, the British government told the Greek ambassador to London, Nikos Kyriazides, that it would not change the law so that the sculptures, known as the Elgin marbles, could be returned.