Aprit 6.
While there have been rumours, and denials which have brought about an atmosphere of mystery regarding what is happening between Italy and Albania, it may be of interest to review the relationships between the two countries, and their recent developments. Italy is brought into opposition with the Little Entente mainly from a desire to maintain complete control of the Adriatic Sea, and her consequent hostility to the Yugo-Slav development on the Dalmatian coast. By the treaty of 1919 Moly gained the Austrian port of Trieste. Later she seized Fiume. The Treaty of Rapallo gave her the port of Zara and the island of Lagosta. She also exercised what amounts to a virtual protectorate ov Albania, made an independent state after the Balkan war of 1913, largely in order to keep Yugo-Slavia, then Serbia, from the Adriatic! coastline, which she has since attained. The harbour of Valona, immediately opposite the heel of the Italian "boot," is obviously of first class strategi importance to Italy. A society} a for the economic development of Albania is! controlled by Italian banks, and military. roads have been built through the country' right up to the boundaries of Yugo-Slavia. Generally speaking it may be said that the, position of Albania in relation to Italy and the Adriatic Sea may with some justice be compared with that of Cuba with relation to the United States and the Caribbean. When the Balkan Pact was signed by Greece, Rumania, Turkey and Yugo-Shavia, Bulga that complete ined. In 1937 as a result of a visit by Count Ciano to Albania certain agreements were entered into, which it is now claimed amounted to the defense alliance which the "Gazeta del Mezzo Giormo" states is the subject of conversations for the purpose of further reinforcement. The general attitude of Albania towards this alli nce is best shown by the declaration made by M. Libohova, the Albanian Foreign Minis~ ter, on the occasion of Count Ciano's visi when he referred to "unshakable fidelity" 10 the alliance binding the two countries.
Whatever may prove to be Mal tions as to the future there can be very little doubt that Rome regards the relations between the two nations as of extreme import ance. That this is so is clearly shown by the map. Valona in the hands of a friendly state gives Moly practical control of the only
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.