Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-04-13
BY the Associated Press.

| Is the teTt OF PT1We MtN1SteT
Chamberlain speech ANNOUNCE
ing to the House OF Commons
Anglo-French pledges of protec-
ton to Greece and Runani1:
You, Mr.. Speaker, after consulta-
ton with the government. have
satisfied yourself that 1t was In
the public interest to summon this
House to meet this afternoon in
order to discuss certain events which
have disturbed the Easter festival
and have created widespread dis
quiet and uneasiness in Europe,
especially in the Eastern Mediter-
ranean.
I propose to begin my statement
by a brief recital Of the events which
I have referred to. AS the House
will recollect just a week ago I
made a statement here on the sub
ject of Albania. I reported that
two days before, his majesty's Am
bassador in Rome had drawn the
attention of the foreign minister to
rumors concerning the concentra-
ton of Italian troops and transport
at Bari and Brindisi.
I mentioned on that occasion a
suggestion which, according to
Count Ciano, the government of
Albania had made on the 9Th of
March regarding the strengthening
of the existing treaty of alliance be-
tween Italy and Albania and the
differences which had taken place
in the ensuing discussion, the nature
of which, 1 said, was not quite plain.
Italy Charged Interests Menaced.
1 informed the House that &C
cording to the minister for foreign
affairs Italian interests had been
threatened. I also stated that
though I had not received detailed
account of the point of view of the
Albanian government, had just re-
ceived from that government a de-
NAL of any report that they had
accepted conditions incompatible
with Albanian sovereignty and ma
tional independence
Italian warshlps appeared of the
coast of Albania early on April 9Th
and Italian residents were taken on
board. In the evening Italian troops
left Bari and Brindisi for Albania.
Communication with Albania has
been difficult and his majesty's gov
eminent are still awaiting commune
cations on recent events there from
his majesty'S minister at Durazzo.
In the meantime accounts have
been received from Albanian and
Italian sources of events on April
It'll. Of subsequent happenings there
is little but italian official news.
The occupation of Albania began in
the small hours of the 7th of April.
Italian troops disembarked at four
ports.
Accounts of Resistance Vary.
Accounts vary as to the resistance
encountered, but in any case it seems
clear that by the afternoon of Good
Friday the four coast towns had
been occupied by Italian forces.
King Fog and the Albanian gov
eminent appear to have left Tirana
during the night of the 6th-7th of
April.
Italian troops seem to have en-
tered Tirana on April 9th. During
the same day King Fog and Queen
Geraldine with their infant son ar
rived on Greek territory, where they
were. helpfully received by the Greek
government.
That is all I can say about the
facts of the Italian occupation of
Albania so far as they can be dis
entangled from the somewhat one
sided account.
When we come to examine the
background against which these
events have taken place we are con-
fronted once more with similar
divergence of testimony. I have al
ready mentioned the communication
to Lord Perth on April 4 by Count
Ciano, when the latter informed our
Ambassador that on March King
Fog had suggested to the Italian
government reinforcement of the
Italo- Albanian alliance.
On March 20 the Albanian govern
ment had asked for Italian troops
to be sent to Albania but the Italian
government had refused this pro-
posal and shortly afterward pro-
posed a scheme for reinforcement of
the alliance in accordance with King
Zog's earlier suggestion.
Ultimatum Denied.
1t was explained by the italian
Minister to our foreign Office that
the scheme put forward did not
modify the existing juridcal status
of Albania and was not accom-
panied by any ultimatum to Al
bania.
Later Count Ciano said King Zoe
had begun to display a hostile atti-
tude toward Italy. 1t was not the
Italian wish to change the status
quo but the Italian government felt
bound to protect their interests.
In another communication to the
foreign Office on the following day
the italian charge d'affaires stated
that Albanian authorities had start
ed to organize anti-Italian demon
STATIONS and to threaten Italian in
tereStS by armed bands.
The fact that some demonstrations
of an anti-Italian nature occurred
IN the capital in April was confirmed
by representations by his majesty
minister in Durazzo.
Albanian accountssof these events
give different version.
The Italian government, having
tried in vain to force the Albanian
government to accept proposals
which were feared by that govern
ment because they were incompatible
with the independence and integrity
of the country, attempted to impose
their will by force.
Attacked Morning of April I.
Italian troops under cover of
Italian naval bombardment attacked
Albanian ports in the early hours
of April 7. Our minister at Durazzo