875.01/3–1245: Telegram

Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, to the Secretary of State

934. Kadri Hoxha called yesterday. He stated that he had informed General Hoxha of our views as set forth in Department’s 82 of January 31, 7 p.m.53 He added that General Hoxha had instructed him to do nothing further about this matter and henceforth to confine his activities in Italy to purely military questions.

(Reference our 816, March 454) Kadri Hoxha then went into a long dissertation on the magnificent role played by the Albanian people in the struggle against the common enemy and expressed the hope that the United States Government would change its attitude toward his country and grant early diplomatic recognition.

He stated as his personal opinion that General Hoxha was deeply disappointed that the United States Government had not seen fit to reply in writing to the latter’s formal request for diplomatic recognition. He asked whether it would not be possible for the United States Government either to instruct the head of the OSS mission in Tirana to address a written communication to General Hoxha conveying substance of the American position as given to him orally by us or whether some American official could not be sent to Tirana to see General Hoxha to request that American observers be permitted to enter Albania on an unofficial and informal basis in order to survey situation there.

We replied that we regretted that he had been unable to obtain General Hoxha’s agreement to our sending observers to Albania on an unofficial and informal basis and also that his failure to do so could result only in preventing our ascertaining the facts on which we must base any decisions regarding recognition and that if there should be inquiries on part of the American and world press or the Albanian colony in the United States, we would have no alternative but to state that he had sought agreement to sending of representatives into Albania for this purpose but had not received a reply.

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During conversation we also stated we were interested to learn that General Hoxha had changed his mind and had decided to accept the British military mission (see our 875 of March 855).

Kadri Hoxha replied that this was the case and had come as result of personal visit by a representative of Alexander on February 28 who first informed General Hoxha orally that British Government was not at present prepared to recognize any government in Albania and that his refusal to accept the mission and allow free movement of existing personnel was regarded as an act of discourtesy. At the same time the offer of sending a military mission under Hodgson was repeated and Hoxha accepted it.

Kadri Hoxha concluded his remarks with statement that General Hoxha was very sensitive over fact that he had addressed a written communication to the great world leader of the struggle against Fascism, President Roosevelt, as a co-partner in the fight against the common enemy and he regretted that he did not receive a written reply. Hoxha wondered consequently whether the message communicated to him through Kadri Hoxha orally was indeed the President’s reply.

In view of the definite expression of policy contained in the Department’s 82, January 31, I am wondering what action Department wishes us to take with regard to this matter especially as the British military mission to Tirana is leaving Bari today.

Kadri Hoxha brought back from Tirana a written appeal to UNRRA56 which is dealt with in my 915, March 10 and 914 March 10.57

Kirk
  1. Telegram 513, February 12, from Caserta, reported that the Department’s views as contained in telegram 82, January 31, had been given to Kadri Hoxha on February 12 in Bari. Hoxha was to take them to Tirana on the following day. (875.01/2–1245)
  2. Not printed; it reported that Kadri Hoxha returned to Bari on March 3 but had made no official communication; it also reported that the British had informed Enver Hoxha on March 1 that they could not accord his regime recognition (875.01/3–445).
  3. Not printed; it reported that Enver Hoxha had accepted the British Military Mission (875.01/3–845). Telegrams 1099, March 23, 5 p.m. and 1119, March 24, 11 a.m., from Caserta, reported that the British Military Mission had arrived in Tirana on March 21 and had been warmly received by Albanian officials and the populace (875.01/3–2345 and 875.01/3–2445).
  4. United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.
  5. Neither telegram printed.