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Albania–Russia relations

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Albanian–Russian relations
Map indicating locations of Albania and Russia

Albania
Russia

See also: List of ambassadors of Albania to Russia

The establishment of diplomatic relations between Albania and the Soviet Union happened on April 7, 1924. Both countries were also allies in the Warsaw Pact. Albania has an embassy in Moscow. Russia has an embassy in Tirana.

Both countries are full members of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (Albania is a member, while Russia is an observer state).

Albania and Imperial Russia

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During the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), Albanians declared the independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire.[1][2] Austria-Hungary and Italy supported Albanian independence and one of their reasons for recognition was to halt the growth of Russian influence in the region.[1][2] Russia and France opposed Albanian aims due to their support for Serbia, and both backed their Balkan allies proposals for less territory and coast for the new borders of the Albanian state.[1][2]

Albania and the USSR

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Early Cold War

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Because the Soviet Red Army never entered Albania, the Albanians liberated their own nation. Albania had developed very good relations with Yugoslavia, and especially their post-war relations were very good.

Allies

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In February 1949, Albania gained membership in the communist bloc's organization for coordinating economic planning, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon). Tirana soon entered into trade agreements with Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and the Soviet Union. Soviet and East European technical advisers took up residence in Albania, and the Soviet Union also sent Albania military advisers and built a submarine installation on Sazan Island. After the Soviet-Yugoslav split, Albania and Bulgaria were the only countries the Soviet Union could use to funnel matériel to the communists fighting in Greece. What little strategic value Albania offered the Soviet Union, however, gradually shrank as nuclear arms technology developed.

Rift in the Communist Bloc

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During the Sino-Soviet Split, Albania supported the People's Republic of China. This isolated them from the Soviet leadership, and started the Soviet-Albanian split.

After additional sharp exchanges between Soviet and Chinese delegates over Albania at the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Twenty-Second Party Congress in October 1961, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev lambasted the Albanians for executing a pregnant, pro-Soviet member of the Albanian Labor Party's Politburo, and the Soviet Union finally broke diplomatic relations with Albania in December. Moscow then withdrew all Soviet economic advisers and technicians from the country, including those at work on the Palace of Culture, and halted shipments of supplies and spare parts for equipment already in place in Albania. In addition, the Soviet Union continued to dismantle its naval installations on Sazan Island, a process that had begun even before the break in relations.

The split resulted in the loss of the Soviet Union's largest naval base Pashaliman in southern Albania and the Mediterranean Sea.[3]

China

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Communist China compensated Albania for the loss of Soviet economic support, by supplying about 90% of the parts, foodstuffs, and other goods the Soviet Union had promised. Beijing lent the Albanians money on more favorable terms than Moscow, and, unlike Soviet advisers, Chinese technicians earned the same low pay as Albanian workers and lived in similar housing. China also presented Albania with a powerful radio transmission station from which Tirana sang the praises of Joseph Stalin, Enver Hoxha, and Mao Zedong for decades. For its part, Albania offered China a beachhead in Europe and acted as Communist China's chief spokesman at the UN. To Albania's dismay, however, Chinese equipment and technicians were not nearly so sophisticated as the Soviet goods and advisers they replaced. A language barrier even forced the Chinese and Albanian technicians to communicate in Russian. Albanians no longer took part in Warsaw Pact activities or Comecon agreements. The other East European communist nations, however, did not break diplomatic or trade links with Albania. In 1964 the Albanians went so far as to seize the empty Soviet embassy in Tirana, and Albanian workers pressed on with construction of the Palace of Culture on their own.

Later developments

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In October 1964, Hoxha hailed Nikita Khrushchev's fall from power, and the Soviet Union's new leaders made overtures to Tirana. It soon became clear, however, that the new Soviet leadership had no intention of changing basic policies to suit Albania, and relations failed to improve. Tirana's propaganda continued for decades to refer to Soviet officials as "treacherous revisionists" and "traitors to communism," and in 1964 Hoxha said that Albania's terms for reconciliation were a Soviet apology to Albania and reparations for damages inflicted on the country. Soviet-Albanian relations dipped to new lows after the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, when Albania responded by officially withdrawing from the alliance.

Sino-Albanian relations ended by 1978. Even with the Sino-Albanian split, the Albanians refused to normalize relations with the Soviet Union, leaving their country virtually completely isolated from the outside world.

High level visits

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Hoxha flew in July 1947 to Moscow to conclude a trade agreement with the Soviet Union and engage in further negotiations with Stalin.[4]

In May 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev paid a visit to Tirana in the first visit by a Russian leader to the country.[5] The 13-day visit was the first time since the war that a major world leader came on an official visit to Albania.[6] The goal of the visit was to pressure Albania into building Yugoslav–Albanian and Soviet–Albanian relations as well as, according to historian Miranda Vickers, "focus their economy on the growing of citrus fruits rather than concentrate on industrialization". Khrushchev also visited the ancient southern city of Butrint, where he remarked to Soviet Defense Minister Rodion Malinovsky "Look how marvelous this is! An ideal base for our submarines could be built here. These old things [reference to archaeological findings] should be dug up and thrown into the sea".[7] The visit was clouded by mutual mistrust, which resulted in his departure from the country two days ahead of schedule.[8]

Further working visits by Hoxha to Moscow took place in 1960 and 1961.[9]

Albania and the Russian Federation

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Russian Embassy in Tirana

Albania and the Soviet Union reestablished relations in 1990,[3] when then foreign minister of the Soviet Union, Eduard Shevardnadze, asked Albania for forgiveness for his country's part of the guilt for breaking relations with Albania three decades earlier.[10][11] In April 1995, Albanian prime minister Aleksandër Meksi officially visited Moscow and signed a series of economic and political agreements.[3] In the 1990s, the staff at Russia's Albanian embassy was enlarged three times its previous size, due to the growth of Russian intelligence operatives active in Albania.[12] Albania's close relations with the US and NATO has served as other factors for Russian espionage by its agencies located in Tirana.[12]

During the 1990s, relations between post communist Russia and Albania remained strained due to conflicts in the Balkans.[3] Russia backed FR Yugoslavia and no efforts were made to advance better relations with Albania.[3] Paskal Milo, Albania's Foreign Minister visited Russia in 2000 and was subjected to attacks in the Russian media and in commentaries by Russian parliamentarians which Albania considered as "open threats" to its interests.[3] The Kosovo conflict increased tensions as Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov sent a letter to the Albanian premier stating that the Albanian government needed to eradicate "Albanian terrorism" within Kosovo.[3] The Albanian government replied with a stern written letter to Russian allegations.[3]

Russian authorities view Albanians of the Balkans as being responsible for a majority of crime committed in the region.[13] For example in 2002 when Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, days before a visit to Albania, said that where Albanians are the dominant population, human trafficking and crime was prevalent.[13] In Albania, Ivanov in a meeting with Albanian authorities stated that the global network of Islamic terrorism ran from Afghanistan, through to Chechnya and ended with Albanian populations in Macedonia and Kosovo.[13] Albania viewed Russia's policy for Kosovo and Macedonia as attempts to form a Slavic-Orthodox axis.[13] As part of Russia's international disinformation efforts, it criticized Albania's stance on the Kosovo question and pressured Tirana to not seek close relations with Pristina.[13] Russia has alleged that Albania interferes in the internal affairs of Macedonia and Serbia, whereas Tirana is suspicious of Moscow's strong backing of Belgrade's policies.[13]

In the 2000s, Albania was not reliant on Russian based markets, energy or trade.[14] Russia viewed Albania eventually becoming part of its European energy network.[14] In 2000, both states made an announcement to begin discussions over a gas and oil pipeline for Albania and to grow investment and trade.[14] Russia also stated a preference to send electricity from its Unified Energy System to Albania.[14] In 2002, Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir Meta went to Moscow and both states agreed to create economic committees and sign agreements for agriculture and tackling crime.[14] The Chamber of Commerce of both countries signed a cooperation agreement.[14]

In Albania, Russia's standing is low among the Albanian population and as such it lacks opportunities to be active in shaping or influencing the outlook of local Albanians.[15] During the 2000s, Russia did not have any links with local Albanian political parties and was not able to undermine pro-Western governments through extreme political groups.[16] Due to crime and corruption in the Balkans, Russia has promoted an anti-Albanian stance where Albania is described as a hub of crime and diplomatic incidents have occurred.[16] For example, in 2002, the Albanian Foreign Ministry pushed back against statements from OSCE foreign monitors, some from Russia and calling themselves "Friends of Albania" who criticised Tirana for corruption and crime.[16]

Since the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, Russia has mainly backed Serbia. However the relations between the two countries begin to improve through the organizations they are a part of. Albania's ambassador to Russia as of November 2018 was Arben Gazioni, and Russia's ambassador to Albania was Alexander Karpushin. Within the wider Balkans Albania is considered to be the most pro-EU and pro-Western country in the region and unlike its neighbours (except Kosovo), it has little to negligible support for Russia.[17][18]

The Albanian government made two Russian diplomats leave Albania in 2018 on grounds that their actions were not in line with the diplomatic status allowed them in the country.[19][20] In January 2021, Albania expelled two Russian diplomats after repeated contraventions of Albanian government COVID-19 lockdown measures.[19][20] Russia said Albania's move was politically motivated and responded in early February by expelling Albania's top diplomat in Moscow.[21]

In October 2021, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova criticized the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama for saying he aims at unifying Albania and Kosovo to form “Greater Albania”. Zakharova said the statement goes against long standing treaty and that could heighten tensions in the Balkan Region.[22]

Russo-Ukrainian war

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Albania opposed the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia and its moves to destabilise eastern areas of Ukraine.[23] Albanian authorities were concerned with Russia's increasing deployment of its power and stated that the West needed to respond in a firm and unitary manner toward Russian actions in Ukraine.[23]

In mid February 2022, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused Albania and two other Balkan countries of sending mercenaries to the Donbass conflict in Ukraine.[24] The claims were rejected by Albanian officials.[24]

As Russian military actions in Ukraine commenced, Albanian President Ilir Meta,[25] Prime Minister Edi Rama,[26] Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka,[27] and Ambassador to the UN Ferit Hoxha[28][29] made statements condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia's recognition of the separatist regions in the Ukrainian Donbass as independent was condemned by Albania as a violation of the Minsk Protocol, international law and of Ukraine's statehood and borders.[30]

In late February 2022, Albania and the US tabled a co-written resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the 15 member UN Security Council, but failed to pass as Russia vetoed it.[31] At the UN Security Council, Albania cosponsored a resolution with the US for an emergency General Assembly session to be held regarding the invasion of Ukraine.[32][33] As it was a procedural vote, Russia's opposition did not effect the outcome and the resolution passed.[32][33] At the emergency General Assembly session, Albania voted in favour of a resolution which successfully passed that condemned Russia's invasion and demanded its military withdrawal from Ukraine.[34]

Albania imposed sanctions on Russia targeting the political and business elite close to President Vladimir Putin, on sectors related to energy, finance, technology and transport, and denying airspace access to Russian aircraft.[35][36] The name of a Tirana street where the Russian embassy is located was changed to "Free Ukraine" by Mayor Erion Veliaj.[37][36] These actions led to Russia including Albania on its official enemy list of "unfriendly countries".[38][39][40] Albania's honorary consulate in Kharkiv was shelled and destroyed by Russian forces, there were no casualties as its staff had evacuated the building.[41][40][36]

In mid March, Albania and five other countries at the UN Security Council accused Russia of having committed war crimes in Ukraine.[42] In Albania, President Meta, Foreign Minister Xhaçka and the Speaker of Parliament Lindita Nikolla all condemned Russia for the Bucha massacre and called for an international response and independent investigation.[43] Albania voted for a successful UN General Assembly resolution to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.[44] In late September 2022, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution tabled by Albania and the US opposing the Russian annexation of occupied areas of Ukraine.[45]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Tosches, Albert M. (2018). "The Albanian Lands: Continuity and Change in a Buffer Region". In Chay, John; Ross, Thomas E. (eds.). Buffer States In World Politics. Routledge. p. 121. ISBN 9780429712371.
  2. ^ a b c Stavrianos, Leften Stavros (2000). The Balkans Since 1453. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 510. ISBN 9781850655510.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Bugajski 2004, p. 180.
  4. ^ "Enver Hoxha: 'With Stalin - Memoirs from my Meetings with Stalin.' (1981)".
  5. ^ "Ja si u prit Nikita Hrushov në Shqipëri, vizita e tij e mbivlerësuar nga fjalët dhe e zhvlerësuar nga logjika e hidhur e simboleve".
  6. ^ "DOSSIER/ Vizita e Hrushovit në Shqipëri në '59 që shqetësoi SHBA-të - Shqiptarja.com". shqiptarja.com. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  7. ^ Hoxha 1984, p. 385.
  8. ^ Vickers 1999, p. 184.
  9. ^ "Wilson Center Digital Archive".
  10. ^ "Albanian Foreign Policy between Geography and History". Retrieved 24 August 2022. In a declaration on 30 July 1990, the then foreign minister of the Soviet Union, Eduard Shevardnadze asked Albania for forgiveness for his country's part of the guilt for breaking relations with Albania three decades earlier.
  11. ^ Lani, Remzi; Schmidt, Fabian (29 April 2008). "Albanian Foreign Policy between Geography and History". The International Spectator. 33 (2): 79–103. doi:10.1080/03932729808456809. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  12. ^ a b Bugajski 2004, p. 188.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Bugajski 2004, p. 183.
  14. ^ a b c d e f Bugajski 2004, p. 186.
  15. ^ Bugajski 2004, pp. 187-188.
  16. ^ a b c Bugajski, Janusz (2004). Cold Peace: Russia's New Imperialism. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 187. ISBN 9780275983628.
  17. ^ Ragionieri, Rodolfo (2008). "Mediterranean Geopolitics". In Petricioli, Marta (ed.). L'Europe Méditerranéenne [Mediterranean Europe]. Berlin: Peter Lang. p. 46. ISBN 9789052013541.
  18. ^ Return to Instability: How migration and great power politics threaten the Western Balkans (PDF) (Report). European Council on Foreign Relations. 2015. pp. 5, 9–11.
  19. ^ a b "Albania Expels Russian Diplomat For 'Repeated' Violations Of Coronavirus Restrictions". RFERL. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Albania expels Russian diplomat for violating COVID-19 pandemic measures". Euronews. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Russia Expels Albanian Diplomat In Tit-For-Tat Move". RFERL. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Комментарий официального представителя МИД России М.В.Захаровой в связи с заявлением премьер-министра Албании Э.Рамы". www.mid.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  23. ^ a b Biberaj, Elez (2015). "Albania: The Challenges of Transition". In Wolchik, Sharon L.; Leftwich Curry, Jane (eds.). Central and East European Politics: From Communism to Democracy. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 425. ISBN 9781442224223.
  24. ^ a b Isufi, Perparim; Sinoruka, Fjori (18 February 2022). "Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia Deny Sending 'Mercenaries' To Ukraine". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  25. ^ "Albanian President Strongly Condemns Russian Aggression in Ukraine". Albanian Daily News. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  26. ^ "Kosovo Leaders Condemn Russian Attack, Affirm Solidarity With Ukraine". Prishtina Insight. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  27. ^ "Minister Xhaçka Condemns Russia's Offense on Ukraine". Albanian Daily News. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  28. ^ "Albania's UN Ambassador Condemns Russia's Attack on Kiev". Albanian Daily News. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  29. ^ "US, Albania call for UN vote Friday on resolution condemning Russia (Russia-Ukraine live updates)". Al Jazeera. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  30. ^ "Albania Condemns Russian Recognition of Ukraine's Separatist Regions". Exit News. 22 February 2022. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  31. ^ "UN heads towards vote to condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine". The Australian. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  32. ^ a b Lederer, Edith M. (28 February 2022). "UN to hold 2 meetings Monday on Russia's invasion of Ukraine". ABC News. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  33. ^ a b Falk, Pamela (28 February 2022). "U.N. General Assembly emergency session hears overwhelming global support for Ukraine". CBS News. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  34. ^ "UN General Assembly demands Russia withdraw troops from Ukraine". Al Jazeera. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  35. ^ Sinoruka, Fjori (28 February 2022). "Albania Unveils Sanctions on Russia Over Attack on Ukraine". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  36. ^ a b c Sinoruka, Fjori (8 March 2022). "Albanian Capital Renames Street by Russian Embassy 'Free Ukraine'". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  37. ^ "Albania renames street in Tirana as Free Ukraine". Ekathimerini. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  38. ^ Kajosevic, Samir (7 March 2022). "Russia Adds Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia to 'Enemy' List". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  39. ^ Starr, Michael (7 March 2022). "Russia publishes an official list of states it deems 'unfriendly' to it". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  40. ^ a b "Russian Missiles Demolish Honorary Albanian Consulate in Kharkiv". Exit News. 7 March 2022. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  41. ^ "Albania's Consulate in Kharkiv shelled in Russian missile attack". Euro News. 8 March 2022. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  42. ^ Boffey, Daniel; Sabbagh, Dan (18 March 2022). "Vladimir Putin accused of war crimes as school and theatre are hit in Ukraine". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  43. ^ "Albanian Politicians Condemn Russian Atrocities in Bucha, Ukraine". Exit News. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  44. ^ "UN suspends Russia from human rights body: How your country voted". Al Jazeera. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  45. ^ Lewis, Simon; Gardner, Timothy (1 October 2022). "Russia vetoes U.N. resolution on proclaimed annexations, China abstains". Reuters. Retrieved 25 December 2021.

Sources

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  • Hoxha, E. (1984). The Khrushchevites (PDF) (Second ed.). Tirana: 8 Nëntori Publishing House.
  • Vickers, M. (1999). The Albanians: A Modern History. New York: I. B. Tauris & Co Ltd.
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