875.01/244: Telegram
The Minister in Albania (Grant-Smith) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 23—2:05 p.m.]
59. Legation’s 56, June 19, 8 a.m. Fan Noli called upon me today and made a plea for recognition by the United States. His plea was expressed in the same terms as transmitted through the Albanian consul at New York.6 He caused telegrams to be given to me which had been received from the League of Nations and from the Greek, Italian, and Yugoslav Prime Ministers acknowledging his announcement of the formation of a new Albanian Government. The Greek and Yugoslav replies were cordial and did not raise the question of recognition. The Italian Government had Fan Noli notified of a fact yesterday which he did not mention to me, that the telegram from Mussolini could not be construed as [Page 311] recognition should the Allied Powers find serious reasons for withholding it.
I mentioned our policy of avoiding the impression of hasty actions regarding recognition, especially in Europe, and reminded Fan Noli that the late regime had failed to fulfill its promises as to equality of opportunity and bringing the murderers to justice.7 He replied that his stand regarding the former was so well known that he need not repeat it and that an early favorable answer would be given regarding the punishment of the murderers.
My recommendation is that we obtain from the new Government formal engagements respecting the two matters mentioned above. Do I have authority to take any action constituting recognition?