Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al/ publishes an archival document issued by the Central State Archive (fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP), which contains a report of the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nesti Nase, regarding his visit in Albania in January 1974, a group of Palestinian fighters led by Colonel Sead Sayel, a member of the Revolutionary Council and the Military Council of the Organization for the Liberation of Palestine (otherwise known as Al-Fatah), which was also the wing of armed of the O.Ç.P) led by the world-famous charismatic leader, Yasser Arafat. All the details of that secret visit of the Palestinian delegation to Albania, where Colonel Sayel asked the Minister of National Defense, Beqir Balluku, ‘assistance in weapons and military equipment, as well as the possibility of the arrival in Albania of a large number of’ Palestinian fighters’ , awarding them scholarships to train in military schools and academies, to prepare various personnel and techniques for aviation, navy, use of radars, artillery, genius, maintenance of combat vehicles’.
The 46-year history of the existence of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha in Albania, among its many dark sides, would also have the military training of dozens of terrorist organizations and groups from around the world in its territory. These facts which would be made public only after the 90s, as until then were considered “state secrets” and were known to only a limited number of people, mainly ex-military who were engaged in their training, or senior officials covering that delicate sector of Foreign Relations in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the ALP. Thus, in this context, throughout the period of the communist regime in Albania, there would be many so-called “Revolutionary” organizations and groups, which would be sheltered and trained in our country, gaining sufficient experience in techniques and guerrilla warfare tactics, by special units of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Official Tirana would also become the “Mecca” of the Communist Parties (Marxist-Leninist) and other leftist formations from around the world. But time has shown that these parties and organizations would be nothing but terrorist formations, which would use all the experience learned in Albania, barbarically in their respective countries. But unlike other organizations, the Palestinian PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), and especially its armed wing “Al-Fatah”, would receive special attention from the Albanian state, as the Palestinians and their cause for liberation from Israel would be consistently strongly supported by Enver Hoxha and his regime. The first significant visit of a Palestinian Authority official to Albania dates back to July 1970, when Khalil Al Wazir, also known as Abu Jihad (Yasser Arafat’s deputy in the PLO), was staying. for more than a week in Tirana and Vlora, where he would be personally received by Enver Hoxha, Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu and Minister of National Defense, Beqir Balluku. After Abu Jihad, other delegations with important leaders of the Arab world, such as: Libyans, Egyptians, Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians, Afghans, etc., on behalf of the organizations they were said to represent and in the context of the “brotherhood of Albania with the Arab world “, would be regularly received by the highest authorities of the Albanian state, including Enver Hoxha himself. The various groups that they would bring to Albania, would acquire all the experience of guerrilla warfare and all the stages of building a socialist system in the country, in the conditions of the Cold War. But, after the ’90s, Albania would be ranked next to the states of the world anti-terrorist coalition, led by the United States of America, a coalition which has held the main weight in the fight against the despotic regimes of the Arab world and , to the two most terrible terrorist organizations known to modern mankind: ‘ISIS’ and ‘Al-Qaeda’, whose ancestors, ironically, the communist regime of Enver Hoxha himself protected and financed!
Information report of Minister Nesti Nase, regarding the visit to Albania of the Palestinian delegation
Yesterday, the Palestinian delegation of “Al-Fatah” arrived in our country, headed by Colonel Sead Sajel, a member of the Revolutionary Council and the Military Council of the organization. The delegation also includes two other servicemen and the head of the intelligence office in Damascus.
The head of the delegation said that the purpose of their visit was to exchange views on the relations between our country and the Palestinian Movement, to inform the leadership of the Party and our state on the problems of the Palestinian Revolution and to benefit from our experience. Express the desire to meet and talk with veterans of our National Liberation War about some problems of a military nature, to assist in any military exercises and to make some other visits to get to know the country.
The delegation will deliver a message from Arafat to Comrade Enver, in which they express themselves thanks for the support our country has given to the cause of the Palestinian people, and briefly describes the struggle of the Palestinian people at the present stage. During the delegation’s courtesy visit to Comrade Beqir Balluku, Saed Sajel expressed his satisfaction with visiting Albania and spoke briefly and in general terms about the struggle of the Palestinian people. On this occasion, he also touched on the blows inflicted on the Palestinian movement by the Arab reaction. By name he mentioned only the reactionary regime of the king of Jordan. The head of the delegation also said that many conspiracies have been made and are being made against the Palestinian people and that they are determined to stand up and face the difficulties, relying primarily on their own forces.
He said that they want to strengthen the relations between Albania more and more and that for them the Albanian experience is a beacon of light, and there are many things in common between the Palestinian and Albanian people. After expressing gratitude for the support given by our people to the war of the Palestinian people, Sead Sajel spoke about the respect they have for the positions of our Government and our Party. He said that the Albanian Labor Party, in everything it has done, has proved the justice of its line, that Albania, even when left alone by others, continued to build socialism.
In the short greeting speech during the dinner given in honor of the delegation, Sead Sajel once again expressed the feelings of friendship for our people. Speaking about the aid the Arab people are giving to the Palestinian people in the war, he said: “The Arab people are sacrificing a lot for the Palestinian cause. “The Palestinian people are very hopeful that in the future, the Arab people will do even more than they have done so far on the issue of the Palestinian people.” This morning, Comrade Beqir Balluku held talks with the Palestinian delegation. The head of the delegation briefly spoke about the many difficulties the Palestinian Movement is going through since the attacks of the Jordanian reaction in September 1970. “In these fighting, he said, the Palestinians suffered heavy casualties and there were about 30,000 casualties among the fighters and civilian population, especially in refugee camps. “This situation has forced the Palestinians to withdraw their bases from Jordan and focus on Lebanon and Syria.” “But even here,” said Sead Sajel, “the Palestinian revolution has not been free to act.”
Lebanon and Syria have blocked Palestinian operations in the border areas with Israel, arguing that this could complicate the situation and that the Lebanese and Syrian armies were not prepared for war. Under these conditions, the movement concentrated its activity mainly in the areas occupied by Israel.
Sead Sajel cited as a political victory of the Palestinian Movement the fact that it was convened at the Non-Aligned Movement Conference, held in Algiers last year, and the recent recognition by the Arab League of the High-Level Organization for the Liberation of Palestine, as the only representative of the Palestinian people. Regarding the October 1973 war against Israel, Sead Sajel said that the Palestinian Movement placed part of its forces under Syrian command in the Golan and part under Egyptian command in Sinai. Most of the Palestinian forces have suffered a lot of damage because they have been armed mainly with light weapons, in the face of enemy armored vehicles. King Hussein was asked to put aside the past and allow the Palestinians to fight from the territory of Jordan. But the king flatly refused.
The Palestinians tried to cross groups without Jordan’s knowledge. Many of them have been captured and are still in Jordanian prisons. When after the war the issue of the Peace Conference and the political solution of the Palestinian Movement was raised, which as always fought against two enemies: synonymy and the Arab reaction, to determine its path decided to rely on the forces and opinion of the Palestinian people to cooperate with Arab countries and with the support and advice of friends.
Saed Sajel said that the Zionist enemy and his imperialist allies are well aware that the Palestinian people will not and will not allow it to return again under the rule of King Hussein. The resistance is determined to ensure the continuation of the armed struggle of the Palestinian people and will not make any concessions regarding the integrity of its land. The Palestinian people refuse to cooperate with King Hussein now.
This is not a sectarian stance, but the contradictions that the Palestinian Movement has with the Jordanian regime are the same as the contradictions that it has with the Zionist enemy.
In general, in explaining the current situation, Sead Sajel also spoke about familiar things. It did not touch on the problems of the Palestinian internal situation, nor the attitudes it holds towards recent events, especially the Geneva Conference, the agreement on the engagement of military forces between Egypt and Israel. After giving an overview of the problem of the Palestinian Movement, Sead Sajel made some demands:
- To open an Information Bureau of the Organization for the Liberation of Palestine in Tirana.
- According to the possibilities that Albania has, to help in military means, such as weapons and other materials, medicines and various supplies.
- To give the opportunity to a number of Palestinian cadres to do military training and exercises in Albania. To be awarded a number of scholarships in military schools and academies, to prepare various personnel and techniques for aviation, navy, use of radars, artillery, genius, maintenance of military equipment.
- Consider opening an Albanian embassy in Damascus. This will help to maintain regular connections. The Palestinian delegation that was in 1970, had raised this issue.
After returning from Albania, he talked about this with Hafez Asadi, and he spoke in favor of opening an embassy in Damascus. In the end, Saed Sajel said: “We know that some of our students sent to study in Albania, have committed abusive acts. We apologize for this and formally apologize. We have not met with the students who have been here and we have not yet met with the students who are in Tirana. We want our students to have good manners. “In case any of our students do not follow the rules, we would like you to send it to us immediately.”
Comrade Beqir, after thanking Saed Sajeli for what he spoke about the attitude of the People’s Republic of Albania towards the war and the issue of the Palestinian people, spoke about the war and the experience of the Party and our country in the war with various enemies.
He also expressed our views and attitudes on the anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian activity of the Israeli Zionists, the American imperialists and their collaborators, and the Arab reaction, especially the regime of King Hussein. Confirming the sense of friendship of the Albanian people, our Party and Government for the Palestinian people and assuring them of our continued support, Comrade Beqir told him that our government wants to help the Palestinian fighters with all its heart, but Albania it is a small place, with not very large material possibilities.
Regarding the requests submitted by Saed Sajel, Comrade Beqir told them that they will be studied and an answer will be given to them.
The delegation will leave on Wednesday, February 5, 1974. Tirana, February 1, 1974. /Memorie.al
Nesti Nase
