Office of the Historian

16. Memorandum of Conversation1

SecDel/MC/57
New York, October 5, 1966, 10:30 a.m.

SECRETARY’S DELEGATION TO THE TWENTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

New York, September–October 1966

SUBJECT

  • Albania (Part III of XI Parts)

PARTICIPANTS

  • U.S.
    • The Secretary
    • Mr. Bertus H. Wabeke, EUR
  • Austria
    • H.E. Lujo Toncic-Sorinj, Foreign Minister of Austria
    • H.E. Dr. Heinrich Haymerle, Director, Political Affairs, Austrian Foreign Office
    • H.E. Dr. Kurt Waldheim, Austrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations
1.
Minister Toncic referred to feelers that have been put out—often in an awkward manner—by the Albanians in Vienna over the past two or [Page 56] three years and which would appear to indicate a desire on their part to move nearer to the West. Noting that the Albanians appear not to dare take the plunge and seem to be afraid of being repulsed by the West, Toncic asked the Secretary if he expected any change, be it ever so slight, in the Albanian attitude, and wished to know if Austria should respond.
2.
The Secretary stated that the U.S. has little information on the subject except for impressions gained by Albania’s neighbors. The Secretary speculated, however, that the Albanians may be becoming restless under the monopoly of the Communist Chinese. The Secretary indicated that while it would be a great mistake for the U.S. to try to probe the intentions of the Albanians, it would be constructive and helpful for the Austrians to do so and, he concluded, “You might meet with a response.”
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 1 ALB. Confidential. No drafting information appears on the source text, which was approved in S on November 9. The conversation was held at the U.S. Mission.↩