875.6363/187: Telegram

The Chargé in Albania (Kodding) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

30. Supplementing the information contained in my 29, March 10, the Minister for Foreign Affairs made known this morning that the President of Albania on March 8 granted to the Italian railway administration extensive rights in Albania, including 30,000 hectares of oil lands. The grant was made by decree, which does not require ratification. The lands supplement rather than represent a separate choice from the Anglo-Persian selection. Upon my mentioning the assurances recently repeated, which had been given to the American Government and interests, he declared that he was willing to give them practical effect by granting third choice to American interests, should they accept at once, otherwise third choice would be given to the French.

The Minister admitted that the American proposals had not been considered until after the grant to Italy and stated that there were at stake contingent agreements with Italy covering banking, mineral, and other concessions, and a loan. He showed me parts of a confidential agreement which had been signed by the Italian Minister and which provided for a grant of a 50-million gold franc credit to Albania over a period of 5 years.

I stated that I would transmit to Washington the opinion that the American position defined in the Department’s telegram No. 18 of April 18, 1923,23 and frequently repeated, had not been met [Page 502] by the Albanian Government. Copy to the European Information Center. Repeated to the Embassy at Rome.

Kodding