875.01/3–2445: Telegram

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

1136. The memorandum referred to in Department’s 229 of March 19, 11 a.m. [noon] and our 1082 of March 22, 4 p.m.61 was presented to Hoxha yesterday afternoon at 4 o’clock by Captain Stefan. In accepting the memorandum, Hoxha observed that it was unsigned whereas the British request had been made by a signed letter from Field Marshal Alexander. Stefan pointed out that the proposed American unit was not a military mission and that the text of the memorandum made clear the position of the United States government. Hoxha stated that he saw no objection to observers but added that he would refer the matter to the Cabinet for a decision and after the meeting would send his reply in the same form that he had received our memorandum.

Kirk
  1. Latter not printed; it reported that a memorandum had been prepared for General Hoxha along the lines indicated in Department’s telegram 229, March 19, with the addition of a reference in the first paragraph to the information conveyed orally on January 20 to Kadri Hoxha and with the deletion of the words “in the interests of military liaison” from the penultimate paragraph of the Department’s draft (875.01/3–2245).