Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes some archival documents extracted from the Central State Archive in Tirana (fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP), which also contains the political diary of Enver Hoxha, which belong to the period March 9 – April 30 of 1961, where the communist leader of Albania, kept notes and analyzed the events and official relations between the senior leadership of the ALP and the Albanian government, with official Moscow, focusing not only on the relations between the two countries, as were the problems with the incidents at the ‘Military Base’ of Vlora when the Soviets wanted to withdraw from there all submarines, ships and military arsenal, but also those of the international situation, such as the ‘Consultative Meeting of the Political Commission’ of the Warsaw Pact countries, which at that time also belonged to Albania, which was scheduled to be held on March 28 and 29 of that year, as well as official relations and relations with a number of communist parties and various states. si; China, North Korea, Vietnam, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Cuba, France, etc. How did Enver Hoxha respond to the Soviet side’s demands regarding the “Vlora Base” and why did he refuse invitations to the Warsaw Pact meeting, where all the top leaders of the member states would participate and assist, starting with the first party secretaries, prime ministers, defense ministers, foreign ministers, etc.?!
“At 5 o’clock in the morning I received a radiogram from our delegation in Moscow to attend the Meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the member states of the ‘Warsaw Pact’. I am informed that Marshal Grecko, at 11 pm yesterday, had handed them a letter with the intentions of intimidation and blackmail. In it he threatened that, if we do not accept that the Vlora base becomes completely Soviet and all ships are taken over entirely by the Soviets, then he will raise the issue at the meeting of the Warsaw Pact Political Consultative Committee and will demand from the Soviet government that the base be removed from Vlora altogether. As can be seen, this threatening Soviet demand resembles the former Titoist demand for the sending of “famous” Yugoslav divisions to Albania, which aimed at invading Albania. It is clear that the Khrushchev government has the same goals. The Soviets want to violate the treaties and agreements they have signed, have Vlora as their base and do whatever they want there. But to them these do not go and will never go with us. That is why I instructed the comrades of the delegation, how to respond to the Soviets, fire for fire, and Grecko received the answer before giving his report at the meeting, today “. This is what Enver Hoxha wrote, among other things, in his secret diary, full 60 years ago at the end of March 1961, when the “rift” that had begun between the official relations between the senior leadership of the ALP and the Kremlin, not only could it no longer be “closed”, but it was “magnifying” for days and more. This can be seen in the notes of the main leader of Albania, Enver Hoxha, kept in his diary in the period March – April 1961, a time very busy with many events not only in the international arena, such as’ Meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the member states of the Warsaw Pact, where Albania was a member at that time, but also with other, even more important events, such as the honorable situation at the Vlora Military Base, where the Soviet side sought to take all of its military arsenal that it had brought there since the mid-1950s, when relations between the two countries were “honeymooning.” But this was met with strong opposition from the Albanian communist leader, who by all means was rejecting the demands and pressures of the Soviet side led by Nikita Khrushchev, even labeling him “the greatest enemy”, not only of Albania, but also of all the “peace-loving peoples of the world”. For more about this, we know the political diary of the former main communist leader of Albania, Enver Hoxha, kept by him in the period, March 9 – April 30, 1961, which Memorie.al publishes in full and for the first time.
Enver Hoxha’s secret diary about the events with the Soviets and the ‘Military Base’ of Vlora, in the period March 9 – April 30, 1961
VLORA, THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1961
CONVERSATION WITH BURMAN AND MALAZY FRIENDS
We had for dinner our Burmese and Montenegrin comrades who attended our VI Congress. They were extremely pleased. They told us about their countries, about the war, about the prospects. They talked about the great damage that Khrushchev’s wrong revisionist line has done and continues to do to them in their work. The reactionary parties of these countries, the reaction fights with the Khrushchev line. They admire our Party and its straight line.
VLORE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1961
HRUSHOVI SABOTON VLORA MARINE BASE
Nikita Khrushchev, in addition to provocations and other pressures, is hindering the fulfillment of the needs of the Vlora naval base. This is indeed a great betrayal. All works have been suspended there. This is called helping and letting American imperialism and its VI Fleet in the Mediterranean do their job. Sazani and Karaburun, who are cobras against the imperialist forces, are remaining as empty trophies because of the revisionist Khrushchev. This situation is unbearable and unacceptable. For this attitude he together with his friends will answer!
E HENE, MARCH 20, 1961
SOVIET LEADERSHIP SEEKS TO COMPROMET US WITH ITS DESTRUCTION AND DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS
Prita Soviet Ambassador J.V. Shikint, who handed me a letter from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, proposing that the meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the Warsaw Pact countries take place on 28-29 of these months. The letter states that the meeting should take place at the highest level, ie with the participation of the first secretaries, prime ministers, foreign ministers, defense ministers and chairmen of the Planning Commission of each member state. Two reports are on the agenda: the report of Marshal Grecko on the state of the armies of the Warsaw Pact countries and that of the chairman of the Commission of the Plan of the Soviet Union, on the arms industry and their distribution. I asked the ambassador if there would be a political report at this meeting, who would hold it and what the theses were. Asking some other questions -explain-, I pointed out that, before we were asked for approval, we had to be sent the reports of the reports and draft resolutions of the meeting, so that we could be prepared there and not just to go turn. He did not answer the questions I asked because he did not know what to say, but promised that the issues I raised would be referred to Moscow. As can be seen, the only preoccupation of Moscow and the ambassador is whether we agree, without asking any questions, to hold the meeting on the date they set and whether I will be there myself. The few meetings of the Warsaw Pact that have taken place so far have been quite formal, technical and completely meaningless, enough to say that a meeting of the treaty took place. Even what is now called of that nature is. Nikita Khrushchev holds this meeting because of his plans in the international arena, and as far as the negotiations and combinations he devises, no one is accountable. Khrushchev obstructs and refuses our supply of weapons. And when I go to Moscow, he wants us to cover up his dark plans. But I will not go not only because the issues to be discussed at that meeting are purely technical, military, are for the Minister of Defense, but also for security reasons, as well as because of all the vile and hostile attitudes they hold against Party of our country all members of the Warsaw Pact. Of course, giving weapons is very important, but they could be given to us even without having to gather, as Khrushchev demands. This meeting should have had political purposes and will have such purposes, but political issues will be raised by Nikita, as they interest him. He will present them as random, second-hand things (and they are crucial), that is, without an official report and without decisions, because even the decisions that he himself seeks, he himself violates. He pretends to ask and consult with others, (while with us, he does not even do the leg), and then acts as he pleases. These actions of Khrushchev are scandalous and dangerous not only for our socialist countries, but also for humanity. Such a procedure was followed even a year ago in a meeting of this nature. There Nikita began to fight “against” the imperialists, even it was decided that, on the issue of the peace treaty with Germany, to “put” the imperialists’ feet in a shoe, by signing us, the socialist states, a treaty with the Democratic Germany, etc.., etc. But no decision of this meeting was implemented, because Nikita Khrushchev took them on foot. So, it will be with this meeting. Khrushchev’s actions are offensive and destructive. He wants us to hold on to him and compromise on his tricks. But we do not eat these. Enough with lies!
MARCH, 21 MARCH 1961
WE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE WARSAW TREATY MEETING
We responded to the Soviet leadership that we agree to hold a meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact in Moscow, emphasizing that the Albanian delegation will be headed by our Minister of Defense.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1961
record
I talked to my friends about the position that our delegation will take at the meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the countries participating in the Warsaw Pact, which will be held in Moscow.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 1961
OUR DELEGATIONS LEAVE FOR MOSCOW
Our Minister of Defense, the Chairman of the State Planning Commission and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, left for Moscow to attend the meeting of the Warsaw Pact Political Consultative Committee. At Moscow airport they met Poljansky, Firubin, Marshal Bagramian and a general. The Soviets assigned their residence to the Lenin Hills. It is the first time that an Albanian delegation is stationed in the “Lenin” hills. There the Soviets took others, their close “friends”. But now they took us too, because the villa of Zarecia was “burned”. When we were in Moscow in November last year, we abandoned him and went to our embassy, because in “Zarechie” they were listening to us with wiretaps.
MARCH, 28 MARCH 1961
GRECKO THREATENS, WANTS TO FEAR US
At 5 o’clock in the morning I received a radiogram from our delegation in Moscow to attend the Meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the member states of the ‘Warsaw Pact’. I am informed that Marshal Grecko, at 11 pm yesterday, had handed them a letter with the intentions of intimidation and blackmail. In it he threatened that, if we do not accept that the Vlora base becomes completely Soviet and all ships are taken over entirely by the Soviets, then he will raise the issue at the meeting of the Warsaw Pact Political Consultative Committee and will demand from the Soviet government that the base be removed from Vlora altogether. As can be seen, this threatening Soviet demand resembles the former Titoist demand for the sending of “famous” Yugoslav divisions to Albania, which aimed at invading Albania. It is clear that the Khrushchev government has the same goals. The Soviets want to violate the treaties and agreements they have signed, have Vlora as their base and do whatever they want there. But to them these do not go and will never go with us. I therefore instructed the comrades of the delegation, how to respond to the Soviets, fire for fire, and Grecko received the answer before giving his report at the meeting, today 28 March. In fact, in his report, Marshal Grecko did not mention the issue of the base at all. Apparently, at least the marshal, our response made him withdraw from his vile act. Let’s see what Khrushchev or other participants will do when they give their speeches. Whatever they do, we have the answers ready. We will give face punches to anyone who will touch the interests of the people, the homeland and our Party, such punches that they will remember for a lifetime.
THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1961
VLORA BASE IS OURS AND WILL NEVER RETURN TO SOVIET BASE
Our delegation that attended the meeting of the Warsaw Pact Political Consultative Committee returned from Moscow today and informed us about what happened there. It happened as we had predicted. Khrushchev and his comrades of the countries of popular democracies, who had already agreed, began in the meeting defamatory and unprovoked attacks against the Labor Party, its IV Congress and our Government. The meeting was prepared apostates against us, and the agenda was just a pretext and politics. But they all received the deserved response from our delegation. The main purpose of this meeting was to discredit the straight line of our Party, to intimidate us into capitulating or accepting to turn Vlora into a sevite naval base. Of course, their slanders were unmasked, their intentions were completely revealed. As for the base on our part, we will give them the answer they deserve. We will make it clear to you that the base is ours and will never turn into a Soviet base, that the statuette must be preserved and all ships there must be taken over by our side, as provided by the agreements relevant. In this meeting, only Janos Kadari was the most moderate in his attitudes towards us and this characteristic of his continues to be since the Meeting of 81 Communist and Workers’ Parties in Moscow. The Chinese ambassador, who was present at the meeting, took a completely neutral stance. He did not speak at all and did not say a word there in defense of our theses. This attitude of his is neither regular nor right. The Chinese were afraid to display views. Why? The future will explain this to us.
FRIDAY, 31 MARCH 1961
ALBANIA’S ENEMY HRUSHOV ALSO ON MILITARY PLATFORM
The meeting of the Warsaw Pact Political Consultative Committee held in Moscow is a continuation of the hostile work of Nikita Khrushchev and his group against the Party and our country, it is a continuation of their same stances at the Moscow Meeting of November 1960, but this time on the political and military platform. Nikita Khrushchev, supported by others, in this meeting actually decided not to supply us with weapons anymore, to remove the Vlora base, thus making a big concession to the American imperialists of their VI Fleet in Mediterranean and to expect Albania the economic aid already granted. This decision of his is at the same time an attack against the IV Congress of our Party and its straight Marxist-Leninist line. The day after the meeting ended, the Soviets committed another act of hostility. The Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister, Firjubin, informed our ambassador in Moscow that my report, held at the IV Congress, was not allowed to be distributed in the Soviet Union. In this way, Khrushchev and his group completely remove the mask and emerge as it is, a Trotskyist, a traitor to Marxism-Leninism.
SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1961
OUR POSITION FOR THE VLORA BASE IS CUT
We held the meeting of the Politburo, in which the work of the meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the Warsaw Pact was reported. All the comrades discussed and expressed their full solidarity and agreement with the position taken. I discussed too. At the meeting we decided to send a letter to all members of the Political Consultative Committee of the Warsaw Pact, telling them that we accept only what has been decided for years in the official agreement for the Vlora base, namely, the ships that are there, to be handed over as soon as possible by us, the Albanians, – otherwise the Soviets would leave.
E HENE, 3 APRIL 1961
CHINESE AMBASSADOR KNOWS ABOUT WARSAW TREATY MEETING IN MOSCOW
We informed the Chinese Ambassador about the conduct of the meeting of the Warsaw Pact Political Consultative Committee held in Moscow, as well as our views on the issues and decisions taken there. Our Minister of Defense informed me about the meeting and talks that took place between Soviet General Antonov, other military officials who accompanied him and our generals, who participated in the meeting. The latter fled without reaching any conclusion, why the Soviets let them understand that they would not give us weapons.
E MARCH, 4 PR1LL 1961
AGAIN, ABOUT THE ATTITUDE OF THE HUNGARIAN LEADERS TOWARDS OUR COUNTRY
Hungarian Ambassador Zhatkullak gave a reception on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of the liberation of Hungary. The comrades who took part in the reception let him know that we see that the Hungarian leadership does not throw stones at us, at a time when everyone else is viciously attacking us. Zhatkullaku is a good man. It is interesting that neither the Hungarian ambassador in Tirana, nor the
Hungarian ambassador in Sofia, nor Bella Bisku, who addressed the solemn meeting organized on this occasion in Budapest, mentioned Khrushchev’s name at all.
TUESDAY, 4 APRIL 1961
TO UNMASK THE VISIT OF THE 6TH AMERICAN FLEET AT THE YUGOSLAV PORTS
I reviewed my article about the visit of the commander of the US 6th Fleet to the Yugoslav ports. I changed the title and strengthened some parts of it, especially the part where it talks about the common plots that the Yugoslavs and the Americans are plotting against our country.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1961
WE WILL NEVER ALLOW VLORA TO BE OCCUPIED BY SOVIET BODIES
Behari handed over to the ambassadors of the countries of popular democracy and the Soviet Union, our Government’s letter to their governments regarding the meeting of the Warsaw Pact Political Consultative Committee and the decision taken there on the future of the Vlora base. In the letter, we make it clear that they refuse to take the Vlora base into the hands of the Soviets. The warships that are there, should be given to us as soon as possible, because, based on the agreements that exist, they belong to us. Otherwise. Our government demands that the Soviet military leave, because that would be the best and most desirable solution for us in these situations. We will never allow Vlora to be occupied by Soviet troops. We will defend ourselves from the imperialist danger even without having a base, but if we accept Khrushchev’s request, the Vlora base becomes very dangerous for the independence of our homeland. Through our letter, we also reject the issue of the so-called ‘conspiracy control commission’ that Khrushchev and his comrades want to establish “to verify the accuracy of our investigations into the criminal conspiracy that we denounced at the IV Party Congress. and make them responsible for any difficult situation, economic, political and military, that may be caused by them to our country.
THURSDAY, 6 APRIL 1961
HRUSHOVI, TITOJA AND GOMULKA DANGEROUS EXPENSES OF THE INTERNATIONAL REVISION GANG
Every day more and more the contours of the shameful blockade undertaken by the revisionist bloc with Khrushchev, Tito and Gomulka against Albania are being defined. These three are the dangerous exponents of this revisionist gang of international character, operating within the camp of socialism and the international communist movement. The Novotn group, Dej and Ulbricht, are also following the treacherous path of the main trio, but so far with minor nuances. As for Zhivko-Cedenbal, these are worthless puppets and simple servants of Nikita Khrushchev. Palmiro Toliati, who is at the head of the Italian Communist Party and those around him, are nothing but incorrigible revisionists, acting on the main trio and serving Italian capitalism. Maurice Torez is also following the path of Khrushchev’s betrayal, but also this one with some nuances. Time will completely unmask their entire breed. Tito-Khrushchev-Gomulka, are attacking the Party and our country from all sides, in an organized and coordinated manner. Tito’s gang openly attacks, conspires with the American imperialists, with the Greek monarcho-fascists, commits acts of diversion on our border, organizes false trials against us and publishes the “White Book”. Khrushchev and Gomulka, supported by others, are attacking us, but not yet publicly. They have cut off economic and military aid to our country and, wanting to cover up there and Tito’s plots against our state, claim that they have the right to control the trial of Teme Sejko, an event unprecedented in the history of sovereign states. . They threaten to remove the naval base from Vlora, thus leaving the US Navy VI free in the Mediterranean. They accuse us of being instigators and disturbers of coexistence in the Balkans and of being dogmatic. All this anti-Albanian activity is organized by the revisionists. In the face of this situation, we must be very vigilant! We must break this blockade, fight with strength, determination and intelligence on all fronts! We are convinced that we will destroy these enemies, why we are right, why we are in the way of Lenin, why those who attack us are traitors, and betrayal always collapses and is destroyed by justice, by just revolutionary war. The masses in the communist and workers’ parties of the world are with us. Our right will be understood if not today, tomorrow, if not very soon, later. Our cause will never be lost!
SATURDAY, 8 APRIL 1961
FORCE DEMONSTRATION OF AMERICAN IMPERIALISTS AGAINST OUR COUNTRY
The newspaper “Zeri i Popullit” published today my article entitled “US Navy Sixth Fleet warships in Yugoslav ports”. As I pointed out in the article, this visit is a demonstration not without purpose against our country. It comes a few weeks after the 4th Party Congress and the worldwide denunciation of the dangerous conspiracy they had prepared against the independence of our country, Yugoslavia in cooperation with Greece, the VI American Fleet and some Albanian traitors. /Memorie.al
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