740.0011 European War 1939/7213: Telegram
The Minister in Yugoslavia (Lane) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:12 p.m.]
598. Yesterday afternoon a responsible Foreign Office official informed us confidentially as follows.
They have reports of dissatisfaction in Albania at the failure of Great Britain or Greece to announce specifically that their intention [Page 571] is to restore Albanian independence. The Albanians would welcome the immediate setting up of a provisional government at Koritza in order to set at rest their suspicions that Greece has designs on some of their territory. Such a move would also stir Albanians to greater behind-the-lines activity against the Italians.
Giving it as his personal opinion our informant added that it would be far [better] for Greece as well as for all the Balkan States if she had a satisfied Albania as a neighbor than if she tried to settle old claims by taking and keeping “a few Albanian towns”. In the latter case Albania would again become a center of intrigue by any European power which desired to meddle in Balkan affairs.
Repeated to Athens.