875.01/9–2844: Telegram
The Secretary of State to Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser, Allied Force Headquarters at Caserta
213. Reurtel 575 September 28. It is the Department’s view that Allied aid in the form of military supplies should not be extended to FNC beyond the time of German withdrawal from Albania. Since any arms so supplied would presumably be used for fighting among Albanians themselves, their provision not only would constitute intervention in Albanian affairs but might very well result in increased bloodshed in that country. American policy, based on the primacy of military considerations, looks with favor upon the supplying of arms to elements or groups actively engaged in fighting the Germans, but we can discover no justification for supplying arms to be used in internal war between political factions.
We cannot accept without some reservation the assumption that FNC will “sweep the country” nor are we wholly convinced that FNC will be found acceptable to the Albanian people as a whole. We believe, therefore, that a policy of assisting that group to impose its authority over the country could only be construed as contravening the principle that the Albanian people have the right to choose their own form of government.
The Department has received no information which would warrant revision of the view that Kupi and the nationalists, apart from the question of the charges made against them of collaboration with the Germans, have thus far failed to qualify for Allied military assistance because of their inactivity vis-à-vis the common enemy (Reurtel 415, September 16).
Once the Germans have been eliminated as an active factor in Albanian affairs, we hope that civil war can be prevented and that order can be restored under conditions which will make possible the early formation of a broadly representative provisional government conforming to the will of the Albanian people.
Sent to AmPolAd (Caserta), repeated to London.