Dean Acheson: “The American government and the American people express once again their traditional interest in the Albanian people!”
Memorie.al / During the decades of the Cold War, the governments of the United States, through their highest officials, have constantly made calls, demonstrating the readiness of official Washington for friendship and normal diplomatic relations with Albania and the Albanian people. High-ranking US officials have often sent messages to the Albanian people for the “strengthening of old friendship” during the Cold War years, through the airwaves of the ‘Voice of America’ (VOA). The American calls for friendship with Albania fell on the deaf ears of official communist Tirana in the ’70s and ’80s of the last century. It was also the ill-fated time when Albanians were punished by the communist regime simply for listening to the Voice of America.
These statements by the highest American officials show the truth: it was not official Washington – “American imperialism” – that had isolated Albania from the world, as Enver Hoxha’s barbaric regime often claimed, but it was that dictatorial Slavic-communist regime which did not want to have ties or friendship with the United States of America. It was the regime of Enver Hoxha that wanted to keep Albania and the Albanians, an enslaved people, away from the West, and consequently, away from the values of freedom and democracy.
This year marks the 73rd anniversary of the resumption of Voice of America broadcasts in the Albanian language (May 13, 1951), after they had been temporarily suspended. This was another effort by official Washington to keep America’s ties with the Albanian Nation alive, even if only slightly.
On this occasion, it is worth, for the sake of truth, bringing from the archives of the ‘Voice of America,’ such a call for friendship with Albania, from high-ranking United States officials – broadcast in a special program of the ‘Voice of America’ in the Albanian language on May 13, 1976, as an example of those efforts to always show concern for the fate of Albanians from American officials, even though the Enverist communist regime rejected every American initiative for normal relations between our two countries.
At that time, the ‘Voice of America’ broadcast in both dialects. Talat Karagjozi from Gjirokastra, Frank Shkreli from Malësia e Madhe, and Leonora Malo from Himara, participated in the preparation of this program (May 13, 1976), at a time when Enver Hoxha was punishing Albanians for listening to the ‘Voice of America.’
Leonora Malo: 25 years ago today, that is, on May 13, 1951, the ‘Voice of America’ resumed its broadcasts in the Albanian language, which had begun during the Second World War and had ended with the conclusion of that war. On this occasion, we bring you today a discussion on the goals and content of these broadcasts, as they have been detailed by United States government officials:
Talat Karagjozi: When the ‘Voice of America’ resumed its program in the Albanian language, the US Secretary of State serving at that time, the late Dean Acheson, made a statement which was included in the program or broadcast of May 13, 1951, addressed to the Albanian people. Among other things, the late Acheson said the following:
Frank Shkreli: “On this occasion, I feel a special pleasure to address this message to the Albanian people, on behalf of the government of the United States and the American people. By resuming the programs of the ‘Voice of America’ in the Albanian language, the American government and the American people express once again their traditional interest in the Albanian people. In this way, the ties that bind us are renewed today. Our old friendship must now be strengthened and endowed with a deeper meaning. Because this friendship is a natural outcome of the fact that the United States of America has been very close to the struggle of the Albanian people for freedom and independence.
Over the years, the American government and the American people have looked upon this struggle with goodwill and sympathy and have assisted in it, knowing that the fight for freedom reflects your true aspirations. Since the beginning of this century, many Albanian patriots came to this country and found complete freedom to work for an independent Albania. At the Peace Conference in 1919, when President Wilson personally took an interest in the establishment of an independent Albania, the American government supported the efforts of the Albanian patriots.
But these events belong to history. From today forward, the ‘Voice of America’ will speak to you about the current and future situation. The American government and the American people present their greetings to you, and the ‘Voice of America’ welcomes you to its audience.”
Talat Karagjozi: These are the words that the late Dean Acheson spoke 25 years ago. Over the years, following that statement, other American officials have made similar statements. Among them, former Secretary of State, Mr. William Rogers, and former Under Secretary of State, Mr. Kenneth Rush.
Frank Shkreli: Former Secretary of State, Mr. Rogers, in his report on foreign policy, reviewed the improvement of diplomatic relations with all nations, including communist nations, and at the end of his report, he added these words: “The lack of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Albania was, at the end of 1973, an unfinished business in our efforts for normal relations with all countries, regardless of differences. But the direction of measures, both in the policy of the United States and in the policy of Albania, promise that normal relations will be established in the future.”
This declaration was followed by a statement made in the same month by Under Secretary of State, Kenneth Rush. In April 1973, in a speech on foreign policy, which he delivered at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, after listing the measures taken or those anticipated to be taken regarding the improvement of relations with the rest of Eastern Europe, Mr. Rush said the following: “Only with Albania has no significant progress been marked. In the face of the expansion of our ties with all the other countries of Europe, it seems like an anachronistic thing for Albania to wish to function in such isolation. Albania continues to use scornful language from an earlier period against us. Whether it wishes to resume relations, we do not know. If and when it desires such a thing, Albania will find us ready to respond.”
Talat Karagjozi: Since we are talking about anniversaries, we wish to mention here the words used by the late President Kennedy on the mission of the ‘Voice of America,’ when this entity celebrated its 20th anniversary on February 26, 1962. President John Kennedy delivered a speech in which he said that the ‘Voice of America’ holds an important place and plays a key role in the unfolding of American life, and then also declared the following:
Frank Shkreli: “What we are doing in this country, what we are, what we wish to be, truly constitutes and reflects a great experiment with the most difficult kind of self-discipline, and that is the organization, maintenance, and development of the progress of a free government. And this is your duty as leaders and participants of the ‘Voice of America’ to convey this to the whole world.
We compete with other sources of information, with those who are our adversaries, and who speak only good things about themselves. The ‘Voice of America’ must tell the good and the bad of America. And we hope that the bad and the good, sifted and sorted together by people of good judgment, who have discernment and taste, will understand the efforts we are making in this country.
We seek the free flow of information across national borders and oceans, across iron curtains and stone walls. We are not afraid to trust the American people, by presenting them with facts that are not pleasant, (neither from) foreign opinions and philosophies presented to this people, nor from competing values that may be presented to the American people. A nation that is afraid to allow its own people to judge truth and lies in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its own people!”
Talat Karagjozi: This is the vital part of the American system, concluded the late President Kennedy, in his speech that he gave on the 20th anniversary of the ‘Voice of America’ broadcasts. He added that the ‘Voice of America’ will continue to fulfill this duty, as it did on the first day of its broadcasts, when it dedicated itself to the truth.
Leonora Malo: And while the ‘Voice of America’ programs in the Albanian language celebrate their 25th anniversary, we hope to continue to adhere without any deviation to this dedication to the truth, as we have endeavored to adhere to it over the past 25 years. Memorie.al
(Radio program broadcast via the airwaves of the ‘Voice of America’ in the Albanian language, May 13, 1976)
