875.6363/156: Telegram

The Minister in Albania ( Grant-Smith ) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

11. In the course of an interview which I had today with the President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, I repeated representations concerning the murders7 and reminded them of our position regarding the matter of the oil concessions. Their assurances with respect to the former were satisfactory, but on the latter question both Ahmed and the Minister maintained a noncommittal attitude. They promised to give me a statement on the 7th defining the Government’s attitude. The Italian representative has urged that the matter be postponed, and the Yugoslav representative has asked for instructions from Belgrade immediately. Ahmed Bey told me that the British Minister will request earnestly a speedy conclusion of the matter. The arrival of the Anglo-Persian representative is expected. No news has been received of the Standard Oil agent.

Grant-Smith
  1. Robert Lewis Coleman and George B. De Long, American citizens, were murdered by bandits in Albania, Apr. 6, 1924.