875.01/12–2044: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to Mr. Alexander G. Kirk, Political Adviser, Allied Force Headquarters at Caserta

41. Reurtel 1848 December 20. Officials of OSS have discussed with the Department the desire of FNC to send military and financial representatives to the United States. They indicated that OSS operations in Albania would be facilitated if FNC were given a reply, even though unfavorable, to their request to send such representatives to this country. The Department is informing OSS that its position in this matter is as follows:

Although we have constantly maintained a friendly attitude toward Albania, which we have looked upon as victim of aggression whose independence is to be restored, the absence of official relations with that country makes it difficult for us to receive or to consider favorably a request for the sending of Albanian military and financial representatives to the United States.

We see no need for an Albanian military representative to come to the United States. It is assumed that, in any case, the reasons for the FNC’s desire to send such a representative have now been removed by the elimination of German forces from Albania. We will accordingly take no action in this regard unless the matter is raised by our military authorities. Likewise in the case of a financial representative, we are not in a position to look favorably on the Albanian request at the present time. Even if we were convinced of the economic feasibility of the FNC currency program, political [Page 295] considerations would not permit us to proceed with such a project until the status of governmental authority in Albania has been clarified and agreement has been reached among the major Allied powers regarding procedures to be observed in dealing with Albanian matters.

While it is not intended that you or members of your staff at Bari should seek formally to convey the foregoing to Albanian representatives, it is transmitted for your information and such use as may be deemed appropriate.

Grew