The verdict of who owns the statue of the "Victorious Youth" should be made mid-April. (AP)

An Italian politician discussed on Monday the ownership of the bronze “Victorious Youth” statue, also known as the “Getty Bronze,” with Getty officials. Gian Mario Spacca, president of Italy’s Marche region where the statue was found, suggested the two museums enter into a “cultural collaboration” in which the statue and other works of art would be shared.

“We are convinced that our proposal is a good one because everybody wins. The Getty wins, we win, and the people win,” said Spacca, speaking through an interpreter.

The bronze statue and other antiquities from the Getty are the source of a long-running legal dispute over ownership. Fishermen found the statue in international waters off the coast of Italy in 1964, and the Getty museum purchased it in the ‘70s. While a Getty spokesperson said the museum bought the statue in good faith, Italy claims they purchased the work of art from illegal art dealers, and the country wants it back.

“It is more than just a statue, it is a symbol of a cultural identity,” said Spacca.

Last February, the Getty appealed a ruling that the statue had been illegally removed from Italy and should be returned. A verdict is expected on the appeal in the next two weeks. In the meantime however, Spacca offered the museum a sort of peace treaty and said he would like to share the statue. The Getty has not issued a response.