Soviet-Albanian Agreements

Diplomatic relations were established between the USSR and Albania by an exchange of letters between July 4 and Sept. 4, 1924. Relations were broken off on Apr. 7,1939, in connection with the occupation of Albania by fascist Italy. After the victory of the people’s democratic revolution in Albania, diplomatic relations were reestablished on Nov. 10,1945.

Soviet-Albanian relations were based on the principle of socialist internationalism. The USSR and Albania cooperated in accordance with the principles of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON), which Albania joined in February 1949. Together with other socialist countries, the USSR and Albania signed the Warsaw Pact on May 14, 1955. In a declaration of Apr. 17, 1957, the USSR and Albania expressed agreement in their assessment of the state of international affairs, spoke out in favor of the further strengthening of mutual solidarity and of the cooperation of socialist nations, and asserted their determination to strengthen political, economic, cultural, and other ties. The two countries concluded an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation (Apr. 19,1952), an agreement on cultural cooperation (May 3,1956), a consular convention (Sept. 18,1957), and a trade and navigation treaty (Feb. 15,1958).

As a result of the uncooperative activity of the Albanian leadership, the embassy personnel and trade representatives of the People’s Republic of Albania left the USSR in December 1961, and the Soviet government recalled its representatives from Albania.