Albania - USA, cornerstone for the Albanian future

By Dr. Elton Demollari

March 15, 1991 marks 32 years since the restoration of Albanian-American relations. Since that moment, these relations have had ups and downs. They have undergone many ups and downs, which have greatly influenced the fragile Albanian democracy and the prolonged political transition. The USA is among the only countries in the world that have defended and continue to defend the Albanian issue. Here we have in mind the moment when this issue was discussed at the Peace Conference in Paris, which took place between 1919 and 1920. There, the division of our country was extremely debated by the international community. And in that conference on May 6, 1919, American President Woodrow Wilson intervened and vetoed the malicious plans of the world powers, which aimed to undermine Albania's territorial integrity. He nicely stated, pastor and clearly: "Albania must be independent". This very significant and very important and smart action by the American president caused the world powers to stop their expansionist intentions towards the Albanian territories. In this way, the US supported Albania's current borders and in December 1920, Albania was accepted as a full member of the League of Nations. Even the Council of Regency, which emerged after the Congress of Lushnja, through a statement once again emphasized the importance of the unconditional support of President Wilson, which he gave to the Albanian issue and the protection of the rights of the Albanians, and expressed the belief that the USA and the American president would continue in the future to support Albania and its future. This very significant and very important and smart action by the American president caused the world powers to stop their expansionist intentions towards the Albanian territories. In this way, the US supported Albania's current borders and in December 1920, Albania was accepted as a full member of the League of Nations. Even the Council of Regency, which emerged after the Congress of Lushnja, through a statement once again emphasized the importance of the unconditional support of President Wilson, which he gave to the Albanian issue and the protection of the rights of the Albanians, and expressed the belief that the USA and the American president would continue in the future to support Albania and its future. This very significant and very important and smart action by the American president caused the world powers to stop their expansionist intentions towards the Albanian territories. In this way, the US supported Albania's current borders and in December 1920, Albania was accepted as a full member of the League of Nations. Even the Council of Regency, which emerged after the Congress of Lushnja, through a statement once again emphasized the importance of the unconditional support of President Wilson, which he gave to the Albanian issue and the protection of the rights of the Albanians, and expressed the belief that the USA and the American president would continue in the future to support Albania and its future. for the world powers to stop their expansionist intentions towards the Albanian territories. In this way, the US supported Albania's current borders and in December 1920, Albania was accepted as a full member of the League of Nations. Even the Council of Regency, which emerged after the Congress of Lushnja, through a statement once again emphasized the importance of the unconditional support of President Wilson, which he gave to the Albanian issue and the protection of the rights of the Albanians, and expressed the belief that the USA and the American president would continue in the future to support Albania and its future. for the world powers to stop their expansionist intentions towards the Albanian territories. In this way, the US supported Albania's current borders and in December 1920, Albania was accepted as a full member of the League of Nations. Even the Council of Regency, which emerged after the Congress of Lushnja, through a statement once again emphasized the importance of the unconditional support of President Wilson, which he gave to the Albanian issue and the protection of the rights of the Albanians, and expressed the belief that the USA and the American president would continue in the future to support Albania and its future.
The decision of the Conference of Ambassadors dated November 9, 1921 renewed the legal status of the Albanian state, as an independent and sovereign state, and once again renewed the political borders of Albania defined in the Conference of Ambassadors of 1913. This enabled the recognition of the new Albanian government by some of the Great Powers. On the other hand, the Albanian government also demanded the recognition of the American government. For this, on November 17, 1921, the Commissioner (non-official representative) of the Albanian government in Washington, Konstantin Çekrezi, submitted the request for recognition to the Department of State. The request was repeated once again by the Albanian government on June 7, 1922. The US government sent its non-official representative Maxwell Black to Albania with a mission of preliminary investigation into the political situation in Albania. Black held several meetings with representatives of the Albanian government and followed the political developments in the country. In the positive wake of American support and backing, on July 28, 1922, Black delivered to Xhafer Ypi, in the capacity of Prime Minister of the country and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the note of recognition of the Albanian government by the USA, which meant the official establishment of relations bilateral diplomatic. This was a good omen for the future of our country. Until the establishment of regular diplomatic relations, Black represented the USA as its Commissioner in the rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Minister of the USA in Albania. The first American ambassador in our country, who represented our country in the American arena, was Ulysses Grant Smith, who started the diplomatic mission on December 4, 1922. Something very positive and very important going forward. In this form, Albania became a very favorite country for America and the Americans. The opening of the American embassy in our country awakened their interest in what Albania was, who the Albanians were and how much help America could give to our country. Ambassador Smith laid the foundation stone for real bilateral relations between the two countries. Smith even wrote in his memoirs about Albania and Albanians: "This country is...