765.75/516: Telegram
The Minister in Albania (Grant) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 21—9:10 a.m.]
50. The Greek Minister, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, informed me today that he had a private conversation last night with the new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Catsemil Dino, who assumed his duties Tuesday48 following his return from Rome with the Albanian delegation which presented the Albanian Crown to the King of Italy. Dino informed the Greek Minister that it was the desire of his Government to maintain the same cordial relations which existed between the former Albanian Government and the Diplomatic Missions in Albania. He indicated he would send formal notes to the Chiefs of Missions within the next few days; however, Dino, according to the observation of the Greek Minister, was not optimistic over the Albanian situation as long as Italian troops occupy the country. I am reliably informed from another source that Dino has adopted the policy of sending out feelers with a view of determining the attitude of foreign governments towards the new regime and that his first feeler was a message to Lord Halifax offering to continue Albania’s participation in the Non-Intervention Committee in Spain by the payment of dues. Three Foreign Ministers, the Bulgarian, Yugoslav and Spanish, have called [Page 405] upon Dino at his office and the Rumanian and the Bulgarian Ministers sent replies to the note which was sent to Diplomatic Missions on April 13 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to which reference was made in my telegram No. 39 of April 13, 6 p.m. Dino has indicated that a new parliament would probably be selected soon. Mussolini according to a press communiqué today informed the Albanian Ministers in Rome Sunday that the new relations created by the union between the two kingdoms would be determined in special conventions which would have as a basis the concession agreement of Albanian independence and sovereignty. Albanian Ministerial Council is now having long sessions daily. It would appear that the Albanian political leaders who are famed for their intractability intend to try to salvage as much as they can from the wreck of their State.
In the meantime Francisco Jacomoni, who was raised to the rank of Ambassador as the result of his successful work in connection with the Italian coup in Albania, is acting ad interim as Lieutenant General under the King of Italy. Incidentally the British Minister when calling to see me yesterday said that he and the Greek Minister had discussed the propriety of extending congratulations to Jacomoni upon his promotion to the rank of Ambassador. I remarked that I thought such congratulations might be construed by the Italians to imply approval of the Italian act of aggression in which the Italian Minister played such an important role. Today the Greek Minister informed me that he had written a note of congratulations to Jacomoni and that he thought the Turkish Minister had taken similar action. The Greek Minister explaining that his country is in a very delicate position as a result of the Italian invasion of Albania said he thought his Government would recognize the new regime here and he added that he believed the other Balkan States would likely recognize also.
In a long confidential conversation which I had last night with a high official of the Albanian Foreign Office, who also served in the former Ministry, it was indicated that there is great dejection among the Albanian political leaders. This official said that while there were many imperfections in the former regime the Albanians preferred it to Italian over-lordship because as time passed it was believed the new Albanian intellectual generation would have gained control of affairs. He said that the so-called Constituent Assembly which met on April 12 and voted to offer the Crown of Albania to the Bang of Italy did so only at the instigation of the Italian authorities here and that not more than 10 of the delegates numbering more than one hundred voted their convictions. A former Minister who threatened to voice his opposition in the Assembly was warned not to do soon pain of being shot. Commenting on the new Albanian Prime Minister Verlaci my informant said he was a type of feudal lord who had never had at [Page 406] heart the real interests of Albania. Ypi who established the provisional government following the Italian occupation, he declared, had been selected by the Italian Minister Jacomoni after the veteran president of the Albanian Parliament Pandelli Evangheli had refused to cooperate with the Italians.
According to a press communiqué today the General Secretary of the Italian Fascist Party in Rome will arrive in Tirana next Sunday49 and will inaugurate the Albanian Fascist Party. The Italian propagandists here are making elaborate preparations for the event.