800.00 Summaries/10–2049: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices 1
Topsec infotel. We have informed Brit Emb that our short-range objectives in Albania are weakening and eventual elimination of Sov-dominated regime under Premier Hoxha cessation of use of Albania as base for guerrilla operations in Greece and possibly Yugo prevention of partition of Albania by Greece and Yugo, encouragement of rapprochement between Belgrade and Athens, encouragement of rapprochement between Belgrade and Rome, and denial to Sovs of military rights and bases in Albania in time of peace which would facilitate conduct of possible future Sov military operations. Our basic long-range objective is establishment of Albania which is free of foreign domination and whose govt is responsive and responsible to will of Albanian people. Our proposed present action to gain our objectives includes utilization of US, UK, and French influence in Athens to prevent Greek Army from entering Albania except in case of direct military aggression from Albania; direction of present UN consideration of Greek case toward mobilization of world opinion against present Albanian govt in order to weaken its international position but without going so far as to support direct enforcement action under UN auspices; utilization of US, UK, and French influence in Belgrade at proper time to prevent Yugo military intervention in Albania; continuing US–UK contact with view to controlling any action on part of Albanian groups toward overthrow of present regime and with view to having Albanian National Committee be as representative as possible; and maintenance on appropriate occasions of our present position in favor of respect for existing frontiers in Balkans.
- This telegram was sent to the Embassies in Athens, London, Paris, and Rome. It summarizes the salient points of a Department of State position paper on Albania, dated September 21, 1949, which Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thompson discussed with British Minister Hoyer Millar during a conversation on October 18. For texts of the Department paper and the record of the conversation, see vol. v, pp. 319 and 320.↩