Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, Europe, Volume IV

875.01/10–3145: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)

Washington, November 2, 1945—8 p.m.

2273. Moscow’s 3719 Oct. 31 repeated to London as 550 and London’s 11079 Oct 23 repeated to Moscow as 362. Agreement having been reached among Soviet, Brit, and US Govts on basic point that recognition should be accorded present Albanian regime, Dept suggests that respective Allied notes be communicated to Hoxha on Nov 10.

Although Soviet note to Hoxha will presumably not request undertaking on part of Albanian regime with respect to elections, US note will, as originally planned (Deptel 2161 to Moscow and 9108 to London Oct 13), advise Hoxha of this Govt’s willingness to establish diplomatic relations with present Albanian authorities on receipt of assurances that they will hold genuinely free elections with rights of all democratic groups and candidates fully safeguarded and with free reporting of elections by foreign correspondents who may wish to enter Albania. Dept plans to release text of US note to press on same day it is delivered in Tirana.⁵¹

Please inform FonOff of foregoing, ascertaining whether proposed date for notification to Hoxha is acceptable, and reply urgently.⁵²

Sent to Moscow and London; repeated to Paris, Bern for Jacobs, and Tirana.⁵³

Byrnes

51. The text of American note was released to the press on November 10. See Department of State Bulletin, November 11, 1945, p. 767.
52. Telegram 3799, November 6, 8 p.m., from Moscow, reported that in response to Ambassador Harriman’s letter of November 3, Deputy Foreign Commissar Vyshinsky had stated in a letter dated November 6 that the Soviet Government concurred in the American proposal that notes regarding the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Albanian Government be sent to Hoxha by the U.S., Soviet, and British representatives on November 10; the Soviet Military Mission in Albania had been instructed to that effect (711.75/11–645). Telegram 11672, November 7, 2 p.m., from London, reported receipt of a letter dated November 7 from the British Foreign Office stating that the British Government was prepared to address communication to Hoxha on November 10, and instructions were being sent to British representatives in Albania (875.01/11–745).
53. Telegram 9672 to London; 5135 to Paris, 3199 to Bern, and 104 to Tirana.