875.48/1–2645: Telegram

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

315. My 176, January 16, 10 p.m. As a result of the deadlock over relief for Albania it was decided at a meeting yesterday at [Page 10] AFHQ35 that General Sadler36 should request Combined Chiefs of Staff to modify the existing directive (Fan 42837) in order to permit the negotiation of a military agreement between SACMED’s38 representative and Hoxha similar to the recent agreement with Tito.39 It was believed that Hoxha would soon approach M/L and that an agreement could be reached whereby he might accept an initial approximate number of 200 all ranks instead of 1200 originally contemplated. The attempts to introduce relief supplies on an ad hoc basis have now been abandoned and the other alternative, i.e. disbanding M/L was rejected.40

The negotiation of a military agreement with Hoxha recognizes of course that Hoxha and the FNC are in effective control of Albania at the present time. It would be appreciated if the department will inform me urgently if this proposal meets with its approval.41

Kirk
  1. Allied Force Headquarters.
  2. Brig. Gen. Percy L. Sadler, U. S. Army; deputy commander for combined operations with the British for relief and rehabilitation in Balkan countries.
  3. Message dated September 23, 1944, from the Combined Chiefs of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, authorizing him to deal with such local groups as he found in control in Albania, in the absence of a recognized government. Though authorized to carry on discussions with these groups, he was cautioned to make no firm commitments on relief. Pertinent portion of Fan 428 is summarized in telegram 202, October 2, 1944, to Caserta (800.48/9–2344).
  4. Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander.
  5. For a brief description of the agreement of January 19, 1945, between Yugoslav authorities and SACMED regarding ML relief to Yugoslavia, see George Woodbridge, UNRRA: The History of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (New York, Columbia University Press, 1950), vol. ii, pp. 141142.
  6. On April 11, 1945, an agreement for the introduction and distribution of relief supplies into Albania by Military Liaison (Albania) was signed between the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, and Colonel General Hoxha. The ML contract lapsed on June 23, 1945, and was not renewed. ML relief operations ceased on June 30 and the ML staff departed from Albania on July 5. Between April 18 and July 5, ML (Albania) delivered 9, 150 tons of supplies, 334 load-carrying vehicles, 9 ambulances and 24 agricultural tractors.
  7. Telegram 78, January 30, 7 p.m., to Caserta, read in part as follows: “There would appear to be no objection to the signing of a military agreement with Hoxha similar to the recent agreement with Tito along the lines described in ur 315, January 26. Such an agreement would of course be on a purely military level and so worded that no recognition of the existing authorities as the government of Albania is implied.” (875.48/1–2645)