768.75/10–2645
The Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 19.]
Sir: Pursuant to my despatches Nos. 1279 and 1327 of July 6 and 1494 transmitting memoranda from the Hellenic Ministry for Foreign Affairs on the alleged persecution of the Greek population of southern Albania and requesting Allied intervention in this area, I now have the honor to forward herewith a copy of a further note from the Foreign Ministry on this subject.95
The note is accompanied by a list of 109 families, including over 393 persons, who have allegedly been deported under cruel conditions to concentration camps at Krouya, Kouksi, Alession and elsewhere in northern Albania from 45 different southern Albanian villages. The note concludes with a pressing appeal for American intervention [Page 350] to effect the liberation of these persons and to put an end to such “intolerable abuse”.
In this connection, the Department may consider that the mass of “evidence” progressively collected by the Greek authorities has become too imposing to be lightly considered, and that a motor trip by an American official along the Greek border several months ago and the assurances of the Hoxha “Government” that there is no persecution of the Greek element in Albania are hardly sufficient to warrant a summary dismissal of charges to which a little knowledge of Balkan history and psychology would give plenty of prima facie support.
Respectfully yours,