711.75/2–846: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Representative in Albania (Jacobs)
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23. Your 95, Feb. 8 and preceding telegrams. In light of recent developments which seriously affect situation and prestige of Mission and raise fundamental questions bearing on US policy toward present Albanian regime Dept believes that strongest representations to Albanian authorities are in order. You are accordingly instructed to communicate to Gen Hoxha following memorandum and to make clear to him that Dept attaches grave importance to matter:
Begin Memorandum. The Govt of the US has observed in recent weeks increasing evidence of an unfavorable attitude on the part of the Albanian authorities toward the US and the American Mission in Albania. This situation is in part reflected in recent attacks on the US by the official Albanian press and radio. More significantly, however, the Albanian authorities by their recent treatment of the American Mission have acted in a manner that is prejudicial and unfriendly to the Mission and that in practical effect hampers it seriously in the discharge of its functions.
In particular, the US Govt considers as unwarranted and discourteous the action of the Albanian authorities on January 28 in ordering certain employees of the American Mission in Tirana to leave Albania by February 15. The American Representative in Tirana, Mr. Joseph E. Jacobs, was given no prior notice of the intention of the Albanian authorities in this regard. These employees, it may be noted, were selected with care by Mr. Jacobs and have in no instance engaged in subversive activities. Their deportation will handicap and embarrass the Mission and, if carried out by February 15, will preclude proper arrangements for their welfare abroad or their replacement on Mr. Jacobs’ staff within that time-limit. This proceeding is clearly [Page 10] inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the understanding established by the exchange of memoranda in March–April 1945 between the Office of the US Political Adviser at Caserta and the Albanian authorities,19 whereby the American Representative in Albania was to be accorded such courtesies and facilities as might be necessary to the fulfillment of his mission.
This Govt has also taken note that the activities of the American Mission have been more and more circumscribed in recent weeks. Permanent passes which permitted members of the Mission staff to drive on the road to Durazzo were canceled in December and have never been renewed. Requests for permission to make short trips out of Tirana have been ignored. In addition, requests for the entry into Albania of Mr. Carmel Offie, a US Govt official, and of Mrs. Rudolph Marinschak, wife of the Mission’s caretaker, have not been granted. It is clear from these incidents and the generally discourteous attitude currently manifested toward the Mission that there does not exist on the part of the Albanian authorities that sense of confidence toward the members of the Mission that was implicit in the arrangement under which the Mission was established.
The Albanian authorities will recall the friendly ties which have existed between the US and Albania since the establishment of Albanian independence. They will no doubt also recall the statements on December 10, 1942,20 and subsequent occasions wherein this Govt affirmed its support of the restoration of an independent Albania. During the war the US encouraged and supported the resistance of the Albanian people to the Axis invader. It has contributed heavily to UNRRA, an organization which for months has been giving important assistance to Albania. The informal American Mission which entered Albania on May 8, 1945, to survey conditions there in connection with the question of recognition of an Albanian Govt undertook that task objectively and with a sympathetic understanding of the problems of the Albanian people. On the basis of the favorable reports and recommendations submitted by that Mission, and after consultation with the other Allied Govts signatory to the Crimea Declaration on Liberated Europe,21 the US Govt in November 1945 made known its readiness to recognize the present Albanian regime provided the latter was prepared to give assurances that free elections would be held and to affirm the continuing validity of treaties and agreements in effect between the US and Albania on April 7, 1939.22 [Page 11] The requested assurances with regard to elections were given and the elections have already taken place. As for the question of the treaties, copies of the pertinent instruments have been furnished to the Albanian authorities and an early reply on the matter has been invited.
In order to remove any grounds for the misunderstanding which seems to exist in the minds of the Albanian authorities regarding the attitude of the US in respect of the admission of Albania to the United Nations, this Govt takes this occasion to state that it is fully aware of the desire on the part of Albania to obtain membership in the United Nations and has been favorably disposed toward the admission of Albania at such time as that organization is prepared to receive and act upon applications from non-member states. However, it must be pointed out that the position ultimately to be taken by the US in this connection can neither logically nor as a matter of principle be formulated without reference to the willingness of the Albanian Govt to fulfill its international obligations.23
The Govt of the US finds it most difficult, in view of the friendly treatment accorded Mr. Jacobs and his staff in the past, to understand or excuse the disagreeable attitude which has now been adopted by the Albanian authorities. Indeed, in the circumstances, question inevitably arises as to the sincerity of professions made by the existing regime regarding its national and international objectives and whether the present authorities have any real desire to enter responsibly into normal relations with the US Govt. In this connection it remains the hope of this Govt that such conclusions need not be irrevocably drawn and that the Albanian authorities will restore the basis of mutual confidence by giving earnest consideration to the matters set forth above. It is the further hope of this Government that the Albanian authorities will communicate their confirmation of the continued validity of treaties and agreements between the US and Albania to the American Representative in Tirana at an early date. Meanwhile, the Govt of the US desires to leave no doubt in the minds of the Albanian authorities that, should discourteous treatment of the American Mission continue and present efforts to dissipate the unfriendly atmosphere which has recently developed fail, it would feel compelled, while preserving the most genuine sentiments of friendship for the Albanian people, to reexamine its position vis-à-vis the existing Albanian regime. End Memorandum.
We do not believe it advisable in first instance to make representations in Moscow.
Sent to Tirana, repeated to Moscow, Caserta, Paris and London.24
- Regarding this exchange of memoranda, see telegrams No. 229, March 19, 1945, to Caserta; No. 1136, March 24, 1945, from Caserta; and No. 1161, March 25, 1945, from Caserta, Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. iv, pp. 15–18.↩
- Department of State Bulletin, December 12, 1942, p. 998.↩
- For text of the Declaration on Liberated Europe, included as part V of the Report of the Crimea Conference, February 12, 1945, see Foreign Relations, The Conferences at Malta and Yalta, 1945, p. 971.↩
- The readiness of the United States to recognize the Albanian regime provided certain assurances were received was made known in a note delivered to Hoxha on November 12, 1945. See telegram 106, November 8, 1945, to Tirana, and telegram 191, November 12, 1945, from Tirana, Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. iv, pp. 67 and 69, respectively.↩
- For additional documentation on the policy of the United States with respect to the admission of Albania into the membership of the United Nations Organization, see vol. i.↩
- Repeated as Nos. 276, 51, 708, and 1446, respectively.↩