740.00119 Council/10–645: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:50 p.m.]
10434. Delsec37 114. From Dunn38. After surveying with Jacobs the situation in Albania I recommend that we proceed as expeditiously as possible with the recognition of the present regime in control of Albania. There have been informal conversations with the Foreign Office officials here who appear to be in general agreement.
As we have in the past however concerted our actions with respect to Albania with both the British and Soviet Governments I suggest as the next step that the Embassies at London and Moscow be instructed to inform the British and Soviet Governments (referring to their previous notes on this subject) that the Department having given consideration to the report prepared by Jacobs after his study of conditions in Albania over a period of more than three months proposes that the three governments agree on simultaneous timing for advising the Albanian authorities through their representatives in Albania of their willingness to establish diplomatic relations with them as an interim government on the condition that the Albanian Government engage itself to conduct elections in due course in accordance with the principles laid down in the Crimea Declaration on Liberated Europe.
The note of the US representative at Tirana might also contain a request for assurances that pending the negotiation of appropriate treaties and agreements diplomatic and consular officers of the US in Albania will be accorded rights privileges facilities and immunities customary under international law including the right to intercede with the authorities national or local on behalf of American nationals and their property as well as confirmation of the continued validity of the treaties and agreements between the US and Albania in force as of April 7, 1939, the date of the Italian invasion of Albania.
In discussing this matter officials of the Foreign Office having Greek claims in mind though not disposed to support them raised the question whether recognition would be interpreted as confirmation of the existing frontiers. The Department may therefore wish [Page 60] to include in the US note a passage to the effect that it has been the policy of the US Government to leave territorial and other problems of an international character to the general peace settlement.39
Jacobs has prepared a tentative draft of a note to be presented by our mission at Tirana the text of which is being telegraphed separately.40 [Dunn.]
- Series designation for telegrams from the American delegation to the First Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, held in London, September 11 to October 2, 1945.↩
- James C. Dunn, Assistant Secretary of State for European, Far Eastern, Near Eastern and African Affairs; serving as Deputy to the American member on the Council of Foreign Ministers in London.↩
- Telegram 9110, Secdel 172, October 13, 6 p.m., to London, for Dunn, advised that telegraphic instructions along lines suggested by Dunn had been sent to the Embassies at London and Moscow (see telegram 2161, October 13, 6 p.m. to Moscow, p. 61.); it added that the “Department thought it preferable, however, to specify certain principles and procedures which should govern conduct of Albanian elections rather than to leave matter on less definite basis of Crimea Declaration on Liberated Europe.” (740.00119 Council/10–645)↩
- The draft note, which was transmitted in telegram 10435, Delsec 116, October 6, from London, not printed, was similar to the final version of the note prepared by the Department for delivery to the Albanian authorities; see telegram 106, November 8, to Tirana, p. 67.↩