840.50 UNRRA Personnel/6–1145: Telegram

Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, United States Political Adviser on the Staff of the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater (Alexander), to the Secretary of State

2580. Messrs Robertson (British) and Cohen (American) UNRRA representatives have just arrived at Caserta from Tirana where they conferred with General Hoxha with regard to conclusion of agreement [Page 985] for transfer of relief from ML (Albania)77 to UNRRA. Preliminary draft of agreement which was shown by mistake to Hoxha by Oakley Hill78 now at Tirana referred to the Hoxha regime as the “Albanian Government”. An impasse has now been reached as Hoxha refused to sign an agreement unless some reference is made to Govt of Albania. It has now been suggested by above mentioned UNRRA representatives that a way out might be to refer to Hoxha’s regime in first part of agreement as “National Liberation Government of Albania” but that at the end of the agreement would be a pgh stating that the agreement could not be interpreted as indicating that Hoxha’s Govt had been accorded recognition by any of the govts included in UNRRA.

We stated to these gentlemen and board agreed that it was undesirable to use the term “government” in the agreement and suggested that the title “present administration of Albania” might be used.

Will Dept please take up this matter with UNRRA as soon as possible and inform us of its views? Suggest Embassy in London be kept informed as Messrs. Robertson and Cohen are leaving for London tomorrow and will keep in touch with our Embassy for a decision in this matter.

We are in touch with Jacobs79 and he hopes that some satisfactory formula may be found so that an agreement may be concluded. In the light of Hoxha’s recent behavior and increasingly stringent measures which he is taking against both Hodgson and Jacobs to say nothing of the fact that he has just requested OSS to leave the country, we consider that we should remain firm and oblige Hoxha to accept our view in this matter.

Sent Dept, repeated London as 159.

Kirk
  1. For information on the role of ML (Albania), see footnote 58, p. 974.
  2. Dayrell R. Oakley-Hill, Chief of the UNRRA Mission to Albania.
  3. Joseph E. Jacobs, Foreign Service Officer in Albania; for further information on Mr. Jacobs, see telegram 308, April 7, 7 p.m., to Caserta, vol. iv, p. 18.