875.01/11–2245
The Albanian Prime Minister (Hoxha) to the American Acting Representative in Albania (Fultz)67
Dear Sir: I have the honor to reply to your note forwarded under date of November 11, 1945 in connection with the recognition of the [Page 72] Democratic Government of Albania and I beg you to transmit to your government the following:
“The Democratic Government of Albania, based on democratic principles which the representatives of our people in assembly have embodied in the laws, has protected and will protect these principles with all its power because these principles are linked closely with its existence.
“Our democratic laws have assured to the people of Albania all the freedom and rights enjoyed by men in the most democratic country. The most democratic law for creating a Constituent Assembly has foreseen and assured all the freedom and rights to anti-fascist individuals and groups. Our government, basing itself on these democratic principles and drafting this law precisely, has given the opportunity to all such individuals and groups to take part in this historic event of our land and to be elected by the voters. Freedom of voting and by secret ballot will be strictly observed. Freedom of the press has been and will be one of the fundamental principles of our democracy.
“Our government at no time has created any obstacle to the entry of foreign correspondents to our country but has fulfilled all of their requests and has accorded to them all facilities. With pleasure these will be permitted to observe the elections and they will find how carefully the laws will be observed in our democracy and that our government is the best guarantee for protecting this law and putting it into effect.
“As for any treaties or agreements which may have been entered into between Albania and the United States previous to April 7, 1939 we refer to our letter of November 13, 194568 in which we have requested to be sent copies of the instruments of these treaties in order that we may review them since the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been burned and stolen by the occupiers. We hope that this will not delay the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. In this way our government will take over all the agreements which may exist between the two states.
“By having given a signed assurance on all democratic principles and by protecting and executing these points with all its power, our government hopes that the Government of the United States of America will establish as soon as possible diplomatic relations with our government. This relationship will reenforce the friendship which has existed between our two peoples, and the people of Albania who gave without any reserve everything they had for the cause of the Allies will obtain their rights gained by their blood during the war together for freedom and democracy. I give assurance also that the Albanian people as they were first in war are now and will always [Page 73] remain in the first line to protect the peace, the independence and the integrity of their land.”
Please accept my sincere esteem.
Colonel-General
-
Transmitted to the Department in despatch 120, November 22, 1945. This despatch reads in part as follows:
“The text of General Hoxha’s note, at least in part, seems to meet the supplemental conditions prepared by the Department in its telegram no. 109, November 15, 9 p.m., for making adjustments relative to the validity of treaties prior to April 7, 1939 imposed by the destruction of the archives of the Foreign Ministry.
“In paragraph five, the final sentence of which reads, ‘in this way our government will take over all the agreements which may exist between the two states’, General Hoxha is apparently stating that his government in general will respect treaties previously entered into by the two countries but seeks the privilege first of knowing specifically to what past governments have committed the country. This position does not seem to diverge greatly from the proposal made by the Department in its telegram no. 109, referred to above.” (875.01/11–2245)
↩ - See footnote 64, p. 71.↩