768.75/4–1246: Telegram
The Representative in Albania (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
operational priority
[Received 2:20 p.m.]
213. No information has appeared press or otherwise available concerning alleged new wave terror in northern Epirus and arrest persons mentioned Dept’s 60 April 9.32 If I approach authorities am certain they will deny as Hoxha did 2 months ago when I approached him subject persecution Greek minority.
As indicated various telegrams wave of terror has been sweeping Albania since Communist group threw off mask in Jan and inaugurated Sovietization process. People are spied on, thrown out of their homes (in Tirana to provide quarters for Russians), have their stocks sequestered, are sent to prison and concentration camps and discharged from Govt positions without respect race or creed. Some evidence also that population in northern [southern?] Albania beginning to look to Greece as salvation from communism. Not surprising, therefore, that seven persons mentioned may be under arrest not necessarily because they are Greeks or belong to Greek minority but because in some way they are under suspicion as non-conformists or even oppositionists.
In view Sen. Pepper’s resolution33 and present status our Mission I believe it inadvisable approach authorities in specific case this kind raised by Greek Govt. Preferable course would seem to be when question recognizing is raised again we make more favorable treatment minority and nonconformist groups in [as?] another condition precedent to recognition or suggest Greece bring such recurring problems before UNO which may after all be best agency to solve various problems of international concern existing here.
- See vol. vii, p. 132.↩
- For text of the Pepper resolution of February 19, 1945, see telegram 76, May 8, 1946, to Tirana, p. 20.↩