Turkish-Albanian relations during Atatürk?s Period (1920-1938)

The subject of our study is the ?Turkish-Albanian Relations during Atatürk?s Period (1920-1938)?. To survey from the point of view of cause and result by evaluating the subject period on the basis of Turkish and Albanian archieve documents from a variety of aspects makes up the purpose of our study. Apart from the archieves, certain other scientific publications in Ottoman language, Turkish,Albanian, English and French as well as the Turkish and Albanian media of the time were reviewed under this scope.İmperialist states made certain secret bargains and agreements in order to occupy the geographical areas where Turks lived as targetted before World War I and other countries where Moslems and oppressed communities lived, under the scope of the Orient Issue. After World War ended, the occupations of some regions by imperialist countries themselves and other regions by their extensions started to take place in paralel to their divisions specified in the secret agreements.Turkey and Albania tried to reinforce their relations by means of agreements after they gained their independence. But Albania signed defense and economic and security agreements with Italy, which caused it to enter its governing influence. As a result of this, President Ahmet Zogu became King on 1 September 1928. Turkey?s President Mustafa Kemal Paşa did not recognize Ahmet Zogu?s Kingdom on the grounds of disrespecting the will of his own people. This resulted in Turkey withdrawing its Ambassador in Tirana and in Albania closing down its Embassy in Ankara. At such a period when relations came to the point of breaking off, the Balkan Conference II was held in Turkey in October 1931. Mustafa Kemal Paşa sent a thanking telegram to the Albanian King, who he had wanted to participate in the Conference together with the Presidents of the other participating countries. Thus relations between the two countries normalized. Atatürk appointed Ruşen Eşref Bey, General secretary for the Office of President, and Yakup Kadri Bey, his close friend, as Ambassadors in Albania since he attached great importance to the inclusion of that country into the Balkan Union. However, Albania did not join the Balkan Union despite all the efforts.Atatürk?s special efforts were unfortunately interrupted with Albania?s attitudes against Turkey. In early1936 , King Zog, who was single like himself, led his sister Princess Saniye to get married to Abid Bey, son of I Abdülhamit II. With this wedding, there appeared the possibility of enthroning a heir from Otoman blood. For this reason, Turkey called its Ambassador in Albania back to Ankara once again. Turkish-Albanian relations had not been at the desired level until the death of Atatürk both due to Albania?s not joining the Balkan Union and to this marriage.