On the Independence Day of the USA, the book "United States of America and Albania - 1914-1961: State Department Papers" is promoted

2023-07-04 21:11:00, Aktualitet Kastriot FRASHËRI

On the Independence Day of the USA, the book "United States of America and

Kastriot Frashëri, researcher and lawyer

"United States of America and Albania - 1914-1961: State Department Papers" is the newest book that came in the English language right on the threshold of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the United States of America not only for researchers but also for Albanian policymakers as a compilation of US State Department documents on Albania covering a long period of time from 1914 to 1961 and is naturally the result of painstaking efforts by the well-known scholar and author Bejtullah Destani. We say painstaking efforts of the author because, as always,

The documents presented in this 565-page volume prepared as a compilation of historical documents are drawn from the archival holdings of the Department of State in Washington DC and published in the original and naturally pertain to exclusive foreign policy matters pursued by the US State Department. that cover and are related to Albania or the situation in the Balkans and Europe, whenever the events are related to Albanian interests. This book is presented to the reader with a foreword by the scholar Ilir Ikonomi, who has assessed that "The selection brings a new perspective to those scholars who aspire to study the policies and attitudes of the US government towards the small Balkan nation during a relatively long time".

Among the first archival files located in the Department of State listed chronologically in this summary are those documents related to the First World War, when Albania against its will served as a battlefield for the warring parties and moreover that this made for the country to go towards a social chaos, as a result of the lack of experience of self-government and to continue with the diplomatic efforts not only of the Albanian factor at the Paris Peace Conference, where Albania was in a weak internal political situation even in the international arena.

In the documents that are presented for the period of the Paris Conference 1919-1920, the role of President Woodrow Wilson stands out with his efforts to reach a formula that would finally ensure the independence of Albania within the limits of the Conference of Ambassadors of London 1913 in accordance with the principles his well-known for the right of self-determination of small nations. The State Department documents exposed in this volume present a complete picture of the discussions in Paris, where the Great Powers discussed their plans for post-war Albania and, moreover, the decision to include the Albanian question in the larger issue, known as the "Adriatic Issue", a move that made their position even more difficult.

One of the most culminating points of the cooperation relations between our two countries, which constitutes a new development in the position of international relations of our country, is the process of recognition of Albania by the United States of America in July 1922, and undoubtedly also the way they are projecting the American economic interests in Albania, which is easily ascertained a duality with those of the United Kingdom, are authentic documents that give a multidimensional view to the collection selected for publication. These documents include communications and official inter-institutional reports without overlooking those related to Albanian oil where the Americans are alert to this issue of the Albanian economy.

Also, this volume contains documents related to the turbulent events of 1924 in Albania, and the coming to power of Ahmet Zog. The period of Zog's government, starting from 1925, is characterized by a number of diplomatic reports that mainly deal with American economic interests, especially with the issue of oil and the granting of its concession by Albania.

The summarized documents also contain a number of important treaties signed between the United States and Albania led by King Zog, including citizenship and extradition, etc., as well as the discussions that led to these agreements.

American documents on developments in Albania during the Second World War are relatively little known to Albanian historians. These documents represent interesting accounts of the front-line forces fighting inside Albania, of the nationalists' struggle with the communists, and of their relations with the US and British missions. Part of this volume are some communications that describe King Zog's views on the situation in Europe a few years before the outbreak of the Second World War, when Albania had entered into financial relations of vassalage with the government of Rome. It is worth clarifying that, although the Italian occupation of Albania is not part of these documents, we emphasize that American diplomats continued to closely follow the Italian-Greek war of 1940-1941, which official Rome, taking advantage of the unilateral Albanian-Italian occupation treaty, used Albania as its military base. These political or interstate developments are reflected through the State Department's communications with its representatives in Rome and Athens.

Following a chronological order, we can say that a significant part of these documents found in this volume belong to international developments immediately after the Second World War, when the State Department refused to recognize the government of Enver Hoxha. Although in May 1945 he sent a diplomatic mission to Albania to assess the situation before taking any concrete action. The reports of the American diplomats JE Jacobs and GD Henderson, as well as the instructions given to them by the State Department on the question of recognition, are full of detail and felt even today to understand the policy followed by the American government until the day the mission was forced to leave in November 1946, when Enver Hoxha refused to accept the US conditions, which were mainly related to the request that the Albanian government recognize the treaties signed with the United States before the Italian invasion of April 7, 1939. Besides these reports, I must say that this book also contains a variety of other articles regarding Albania's relations with neighboring countries as well as the situation not only in Albania but also in the so-called "Socialist Camp" in which we were also a part led by the Soviet Union. It is worth highlighting the fact that from these documents presented in this book, which were not previously published until 1961, it does not appear that the government of Albania had expressed any interest in establishing diplomatic relations with the United States of America. In addition to these reports, I must say that this book also contains a variety of other articles related to Albania's relations with neighboring countries as well as the situation not only in Albania but also in the so-called "Socialist Camp" in which we were also from the Soviet Union. It is worth highlighting the fact that from these documents presented in this book, which were not previously published until 1961, it does not appear that the government of Albania had expressed any interest in establishing diplomatic relations with the United States of America. In addition to these reports, I must say that this book also contains a variety of other articles related to Albania's relations with neighboring countries as well as the situation not only in Albania but also in the so-called "Socialist Camp" in which we were also from the Soviet Union. It is worth highlighting the fact that from these documents presented in this book, which were not previously published until 1961, it does not appear that the government of Albania had expressed any interest in establishing diplomatic relations with the United States of America.

The very publication of this volume at an important historical moment that culminates with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries shows once again the importance of these relations for the intellectual elite of Albania, for which the researcher has an indisputable merit well known Mr. Destani and the "Centre for Albanian Studies in London" that he directs; Albanian Institute of National Affairs and other factors of honorable personalities with important contributions across the Atlantic and in the European space that complete this wide circle of scholars inside and outside Albania.

PS: While I was finishing these lines for this beautiful documentary innovation that comes to Albanian historiography from the media, I learned that President Clinton (1993-2001) has just arrived for a visit to Tirana, invited by Prime Minister Rama, where he will stay for two days. to enjoy the Albanian hospitality... Of course, President Bill Clinton is respected throughout the Albanian space and deserves to be welcomed as a hero without any hesitation. I would like to take advantage of the opportunity on behalf of the author and the publishers to respectfully donate to you at one of the meetings held in his honor a copy of this special book which takes on an even more meaningful value of the Albanian-American love for a from its forgers, precisely Him, the 42nd President of the United States, but this is impossible to achieve today as it is difficult to break into the feudal order of Tirana if you do not have a close contact than mandatory institutional contact phone numbers, these can hardly be found posted on the websites of our democratic institutions of a government that although it is said that it originates from the people, it belongs only to the first... In a serious state this does not happen! It is the duty of the State Protocol to find the right people and not to put on a show as it usually happens in this theater-state just for personal gain. It cannot be privatized!