875.00/519
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Phillips)
Sir: Reference is made to telegram No. 82 of June 5, 11 p.m., 1939 from the American Minister in Tirana reporting that the Albanian Foreign Minister had informed Mr. Grant that the Albanian Government had decided to abolish its own Foreign Office. You are advised that as a result of the cessation of the functions of the Albanian Legation in Washington and of the Albanian Consulate General in New York and the Consulate in Boston, Albania does not appear either on the list of embassies and legations in Washington as published in the Diplomatic List, Department of State, July 1939, or on the list of Foreign Consular Offices in the United States, Department of State, July 1, 1939.
Since the Department’s decision to withdraw American diplomatic and consular representation from Albania, as announced in the Secretary’s [Page 421] press conference on June 12, 1939, consideration has been given to the question of the protection of American interests in that country under the new circumstances. A practicable solution might be for the Consulate at Rome to handle informally and without publicity in due consultation with the Embassy such consular matters, with the exception of visa and citizenship cases which fall within the purview of the Consulate General in Naples, as may arise from time to time in Albania.
The Department would appreciate any comments which the Embassy may care to make on the foregoing suggestion.
Very truly yours,