875.00/6–2145

The British Embassy to the Department of State

Aide-Mémoire

The Foreign Office have now received a report from the head of the British Military Mission in Albania on the present administration of the country which shows that the FNC is still firmly in control.

[Page 37]
2.
Armed resistance in the Scutari area, which has hitherto been the centre of opposition to the FNC’s regime, has been subdued and as communications improve the FNC’s authority is maintained by overwhelming armed force and the repression of any form of popular expression.
3.
There are still no signs of any toleration of any political party other than the Communists. Members of the Government, even Ministers, who are not Communist, are strictly supervised and their powers are restricted. The youth of the country from the age of 4 or 5 years is being regimented and subjected to political propaganda. As yet there are still no signs that elections are contemplated and the answers to questions on this subject are always vague and noncommittal. The strength of armed opposition in the North is not accurately known and the situation there appears to be quiet. The leaders are, however, known to be still at large and it can be assumed that they possess sufficient men and arms to remain a potential and ever-present threat to FNC. However, on account of the large quantity of arms supplied to FNC by the Allies, or captured from the Germans, the FNC is in a strong position to quell any counter-revolution.
4.
The view of the Foreign Office is that, although there are ample reasons for disliking the Hoxha regime and its methods, His Majesty’s Government would not be justified in intervening against it. On the other hand His Majesty’s Government consider that they are under no obligation to support Hoxha, and, if it is really the case, as has been suggested in Brigadier Hodgson’s report, that British recognition would have a decisive effect in maintaining Hoxha’s regime in power, the Foreign Office would see no reason for hastening recognition.95 The Foreign Office’s conclusion is that the only measure of support which Hoxha’s administration should receive from Allied sources is the provision of relief supplies and that even this assistance should come from UNRRA and not direct from the British and United States Governments.
5.
His Majesty’s Government are most anxious to concert with the United States Government their policy in regard to recognition and support of the present Albanian Government. In informing the Department of State of the Foreign Office’s views His Majesty’s Chargé d’Affaires has been instructed to say that the Foreign Office would welcome any comments which the Department of State may wish to make.
  1. Telegram 2926, July 11, 3 p.m. from Caserta, reported that Field Marshal Alexander had informed the British Military Mission in Albania that Prime Minister Churchill had approved the line taken by the Foreign Office to the effect that at the moment the British could not give support to the opposition in Albania (875.01/7–1145).