merely memories, for in reality they are only represented by shapeless ruins marking the site of Mussulman villages."

The Greeks are probably claiming Northern Epirus in order to intimidate the Albanians and make them renounce their just claim to Southern Epirus and especially to the Chameria district, which is essentially Albanian.

At a time when our opponents maintain that the orthodox Albanians of Northern Epirus desire to be united to Greece, the Vlachs of Pindus (who, nevertheless, have experienced Greek rule) are asking for union with Albania. How can these two desires be reconciled?

How can one admit that the Albanians wish to disown their fellowcountrymen, when a foreign community like the Vlachs, which has lived under Greek rule, asks nothing better than to be united to Albania?

Taught by suffering, Albania in her reconstituted form will feel it incumbent upon her to live in perfect unity, in a spirit of wide tolerance, and she will allow foreign minorities all rights granted to them by the most civilised countries.

The southern boundary line of Albania seems to have been drawn by nature; it is the chain of the Gramos and Pindus mountains. This is the only boundary corresponding to the defensive and economic requirements of a country as weak as Albania.

If Albania had been free to act, she would certainly have offered to help the Allies by every means in her power. Until the country was invaded by the enemy she put all available resources at the disposal of the Allies, by helping and feeding Serbian troops during their retreat through Albanian territory.

This help given to Serbian troops gains a new significance in view of the atrocities and systematic massacres perpetrated on the Albanian population of Kossovo by those same Serbian troops during and after the Balkan wars. They also burnt numerous Albanian villages, as all European press correspondents reported at the time.

The Albanians were of the greatest assistance to the Italian and French troops after their arrival in Albania, and furthermore refused to form auxiliary Albanian corps in Southern Albania, in spite of all the promises made them by Austria and a Balkan State.

The Conference desires to lay the foundations of a lasting peace. There can be no such peace in the Balkans unless the rights of nationalities are respected.

If, for instance, the Congress, contrary to this principle, were to confirm the dismemberment so unfortunately effected in 1878 and 1913, the country would never enjoy the peace which is essential to its economic development. Such a proceeding would, moreover, give rise to periodical crises in Greece and Serbia, neither of which could

absorb an Albanian majority so proud of its independence and so deeply attached to its national traditions. Such a situation would stir up continual disturbances along the frontiers of the Albanian State.

The excesses and massacres suffered by the Albanian populations inhabiting districts annexed by the above-named States give just cause to fear the fate in store for them, and their only hope of peace would be emigration or death.

The probable fate recalls the words of Tacitus: "Ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant".

Paris Peace Conf. 180.03101/46

BC-39

Secretary's Notes of a Conversation Held in M. Pichon's Room at the Quai d'Orsay, Paris, on Tuesday, 25th February, 1919, at 3 p.m.

M. Klotz.

FRANCE

(1) M. PICHON called on M. Crespi to report to the Conference the results of the reference to the "Committee for drafting terms of reference to Financial Committee" relative to the payment of the March Coupons of the Austrian Debt.

Austrian Debt
Payment of
Coupons Due 1st
March, 1919

M. CRESPI said that the question had been raised yesterday by Mr. Balfour and the broad facts of the case were therefore well known to the members of the Conference. The coupons, which fell due for payment on 1st March, 1919, represented a sum of Two Hundred and Eighty Millions of Crowns. The Committee for drafting terms of reference to the Financial Committee had prepared the following draft telegram to be addressed to the late Austrian Empire Financial Conference about to be held at the Ballplatz, Vienna:

"The Allied and Associated Governments are informed that there is some danger that when the coupons of the Austro-Hungarian loans fall due on March 1st, they will not be paid owing to the inability of the Austrian Government, the Hungarian Government and the other Governments concerned to come to an understanding as to the respective quotas due on such payments.

The Allied and Associated Governments declare that as far as they are concerned any arrangement now made with regard to the payment of the coupons in March out of common funds will not prejudice in any way the settlement by the Peace Conference of the quotas to be imputed to each for the Austro-Hungarian debt."

A copy of the telegram had been circulated in English, French and Italian, the English being the original official text.

MR. BALFOUR said he had nothing to add to what had been stated by M. Crespi. He was perfectly agreeable that the proposed telegram should be sent: but he did not pretend to be an expert on the subject. He wished to enquire, however, who would send the telegram.

M. PICHON said that the telegram would be sent by the French Foreign Office in the name of the five Great Powers. In addition, each Great Power could, if it so wished, send a copy of the telegram to its own representatives in Vienna.

MR. BALFOUR agreed and said that the British Government would forward a copy of the telegram to the British Military Mission in Vienna.

(It was agreed that a copy of the following telegram1 should be addressed by the French Foreign Office in the name of the five Great Powers to the Gesamter Konferenz, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ballplatz, Vienna:

"The Allied and Associated Governments are informed that there is some danger that when the coupons of the Austro-Hungarian loans fall due on March 1st, they will not be paid owing to the inability of the Austrian Government, the Hungarian Government and the other Governments concerned to come to an understanding as to the respective quotas due on such payments.

The Allied and Associated Governments declare that as far as they are concerned any arrangement now made with regard to the payment of the coupons in March out of common funds will not prejudice in any way the settlement by the Peace Conference of the quotas to be imputed to each for the Austro-Hungarian debt.”

The British Delegation would also send a copy of the same telegram to the British Military Mission in Vienna.)

(2) M. CAMBON informed the Conference that no report had yet

'The "Brief Summary" of the minutes of this meeting (BC-39a) and the telegraphic report of the meeting from the American Mission to the Department of State give the address and text of this telegram as follows: "Gesandten Konferenz, p. a. Staatsamt des Auesseren, 1 Ball Platz, Vienna.

The Allied and Associated Governments understand that there is some risk that the coupons payable first March on the Austro-Hungarian loans will not be paid, owing to inability of the Austrian, Hungarian and other governments concerned to arrive at an agreement as to their respective liabilities to contribute towards payment.

The Allied and Associated Governments declare that so far as they are concerned any action taken now with regard to the payment of the March coupon from the common fund will not prejudice the settlement at the Peace Conference of the distribution of the liability for the Austro-Hungarian debt."

(Paris Peace Conf. 180.03101/46)