Editorial Note
Sometime in early August 1949, British Ambassador Peake conferred with Yugoslav Assistant Foreign Minister Bebler on the Albanian situation. In his telegram 928, September 15, from Belgrade, Ambassador Cannon recalled that the principal theme in the conversations was Bebler’s preoccupation with the idea that the Soviet Union might oblige Albania to invoke its mutual assistance treaties. Cannon observed that the danger of a chain reaction if the system of satellite mutual assistance pacts were to be operative was the evident and doubtless the chief deterrent to Yugoslavia risking involvement in Albanian affairs (875.00/9–1549). Telegram 1175, November 14, from Belgrade, not printed, reported that Bebler on August 8 expressed anxiety to Peake over Greek violations of the Albanian frontier. Bebler hoped that Britain would urge restraint on the Greek Government. After learning that British authorities in Athens had given a strong warning to the Greek Government, Peake on August 17 advised Bebler that the Greeks were aware of the Yugoslav attitude. The telegram concluded with a statement that Ambassador Cannon was not approached at any time during August about the Yugoslav attitude toward possible Greek intervention into Albania. (860H.75/11–1449)