875.01/7–1145: Telegram
The Representative in Albania ( Jacobs ) to the Secretary of State
Tirana
, July 11,
1945—noon.
[Received 2:36 p.m.]
[Received 2:36 p.m.]
76. Last night at Albanian Army Day celebration staff talks with officials including Hoxha revealed:
- 1.
- Lt. Col. Gen. Koei Xoxe head Albanian Secret Police and next to Hoxha most important member present regime and Major Gen Bodri Spahiu Minister Social Assistance both strong Communist who have been absent about three weeks reportedly in Belgrade actually went first to Belgrade where they were joined by Sokoloff head Russian Mission4 here and all three left for Moscow to discuss Soviet-Albanian relations.
- 2.
- Hoxha himself evidently tired and irritable from heavy day’s activities reviewing troops in heat said he did not expect Gr Brit or US to recognize his regime and complained bitterly about attitude Hodgson and British. In this I am not unmindful possibility studied policy regime try create ill feelings between US and British. Hoxha said he would not beg UNRRA5 return and inquired whereabouts Red Cross Foley6 who had not come over as planned to discuss relief contributions Albanians in US.
- 3.
- Mshani Minister Foreign Affairs and Koco Tashko7 cornered me in effort ascertain reasons delay restoration mail and telegraph [Page 43] communications with US8 and our failure permit Albania send Eeps to visit US [unofficially?]. My 56, June 299 and previous. Tashko who is Harvard graduate reminded me that after last war we had before recognition allowed Constantine Chekrezi come to US as commissioner and he himself in unofficial consular capacity. Both said they could not understand why we would not now permit present regime to send two or three Eeps for temporary visit. Both bemoaned that they must begin to feel US has deserted Albania which must look elsewhere for friends.
Sent Dept, and Caserta as 85. Caserta Pls Ept to Belgrade and Moscow.
[
Jacobs
]- The new Soviet Military Mission to Albania arrived in Tirana on June 1. Despatch 20, June 2, from Tirana, reported that this mission was supposed to operate on the same basis as the British Military Mission (875.01/6–245).↩
- An UNRRA agreement with Albania was concluded on August 1, 1945. For text, see George Woodbridge, UNRRA: The History of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (New York, Columbia University Press, 1950), vol. iii, p. 238. For documentation on the negotiations leading to the signing of the agreement, see telegrams 1228, March 29 from Caserta, 278, March 31 to Caserta, 2580, June 11 from Caserta, 5089, June 23 to London, and 67, July 6 to Tirana, vol. ii, pp. 973, 974, 984, 986, and 992, respectively. See also Department of State Bulletin, August 5, 1945, p. 179.↩
- James B. Foley, representative of the American Red Cross, visited Albania July 21–28.↩
- Secretary of the National Liberation Council, Albania’s supreme legislative and executive body.↩
- Telegram 461, May 10, 6 p.m., to Caserta, requested Mr. Jacobs to gather information with a view to the resumption of postal and telegraphic communications between Albania and Allied countries (800.7175/5–1045). Despatch 26, June 6, from Tirana, which submitted to the Department information regarding the resumption of postal and telegraphic services between Albania and other countries, concluded with the observation that such communications would have a tendency to maintain the westward outlook of the Albanian people at a time when internal and external efforts were being made to divert the attention of the Albanian people toward Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union (800.7175/6–645). Mail service between the United States and Albania was resumed November 21, 1945.↩
- Not printed; in it Mr. Jacobs reported that during a call on Hoxha on June 29, the Albanian leader had again expressed his desire to send a group of Albanian representatives to the United States. Mr. Jacobs urged that the proposal be agreed to unless the Department had strong objections. (875.01/6–2945)↩