Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume V

Editorial Note

In late October 1949, American missions in Europe were informed that the Department of State considered that Albania should be prevented from augmenting its war potential in view of the threat to Greece and in order to maintain Yugoslavia’s strength vis-à-vis the Soviet bloc. Pursuit of such an objective involved the prevention of shipments of goods with military potential to Albania, whether from points of origin in the West or from other Soviet satellite states. For documentation on the efforts to prevent or restrict the transit to Albania of items of security significance, see telegram 2608, October 21, to Rome, page 159.