Albania–United Kingdom relations

Albanian–British relations
Map indicating locations of Albania and United Kingdom

Albania
United Kingdom
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Albania LondonEmbassy of Britain Tirana

Albania–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between Albania and the United Kingdom. Albania has an embassy in London, and the United Kingdom has an embassy in Tirana.

Both countries are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Diplomatic relations were established first in 1922, interrupted in 1939 for 51 years, to be re-established in 1991.[1]

History

National Awakening era

Aubrey Herbert was a British soldier, diplomat, traveller, and intelligence officer. He was very active fighting for the cause of albanian independence and is regarded as having considerable influence on Albania's success at obtaining eventual independence in the resulting Treaty of London (1913). He was twice offered the throne of Albania by the Albanian People.

Principality era

During the Albanian–Yugoslav border war of 1921, Great Britain's prime minister Lloyd George had recognized the Albanian government and also made multiple heated diplomatic protests against the Yugoslav government, demanding its withdrawal from disputed areas. Due to Britain's intervention and the possibilities of sanctions against their country, Yugoslavia ended support for The Mirdita Rebels and withdrew its troops from all Albanian territories.

Zogist era

Diplomatic relations were established first in 1922. The first minister, Sir Henry Eyres, presented his credentials in January 1922. Eyres was succeeded by his successor, Sir Robert Hodgson in 1928 who served until 1936. Relations were interrupted in 1939 after the Italian invasion of Albania.

The United Kingdom Supplied the Royal Albanian Army

Relations with the Peoples Republic

The Corfu Channel incident between ships of the Royal Navy and the Albanian Naval Force took place in the Channel of Corfu in 1946 as an early episode of the Cold War and in Anglo-Albanian relations.[2][3] During first incident, Royal Navy ships came under fire from Albanian fortifications passing through the Straits of Corfu.[3] The incident caused Albania to complain to the United Nations,[3] leading to the Corfu Channel case, where the United Kingdom brought a case against the People's Republic of Albania to the International Court of Justice.[4] The Court rendered a verdict under which Albania was to pay £844,000 to the United Kingdom.[5]

As a result of the British broke off talks with Albania aimed at restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries. In 1981, the British Government of Margaret Thatcher proposed to the Albanian Government the restoration of diplomatic relations without preconditions on the matter of reparations, but the Albanian communist authorities did not accept it. The offer remained open and the United Kingdom continued to engage in unconditional talks. In March 1985, in Paris, talks were held on the return of Albanian gold, but they were interrupted by the death of First Secretary Enver Hoxha that month and were not resumed.

Diplomatic relations were only restored on 29 May 1991.[6]

Post-1992

On 8 May 1992, Britain and Albania came to an agreement over the Corfu Channel case, announcing that "Both sides expressed their regret at the Corfu Channel Incident of 22 October 1946"[7][8] and Albania agreed to pay US$2,000,000 in reparations.[7][9][10]

Anglo-Albanian Association

The Anglo-Albanian Association was founded to support the Albanian cause in Great Britain and to promote recognition of the Independent Albania.[11] Some of the members were Edith Durham, Lord Lamington and Dervish Duma.[12] After 1985 the Chairman of the Anglo-Albanian Association was Harry Hodgkinson, British writer, journalist, and naval intelligence officer.[13] Its current president is Noel Malcolm.[14] The Association also has a website Website of the Anglo-Albanian Association.


Cooperation

The militaries of Albania and the United Kingdom have cooperated on numerous occasions, including military exercises in 2013 and 2014. The 2013 Albanian Lion exercise involved nearly 1,000 Royal Marines and HMS Bulwark.[15] The 2014 Albanian Lion exercise saw 600 Royal Marines visit Albania.[16]

In 2016, around 1,500 military personnel from the United Kingdom joined Albanian forces for Exercise Albanian Lion.[17]

Economic relations

From 1 April 2009 until 30 December 2020, trade between Albania and the UK was governed by the Albania–European Union Stabilisation and Association Process, while the United Kingdom was a member of the European Union.[18] Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the UK and Albania signed a continuity trade agreement on 5 February 2021, based on the EU free trade agreement; the agreement entered into force on 3 May 2021.[19][20] Trade value between Albania and the United Kingdom was worth £293 million in 2022.[21]

High level visits

Guest Host Place of visit Date of visit
Albania Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Miliband London 12 February 2008
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama Tirana 18 November 2015[22]

Agreements

Dates Agreement
30 March
1994 		Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, Co-operation in the Field of Tourism, Air Services and Education, Science and Culture[23]
14 October
2003 		Agreement on the Readmission of Persons, with Protocol
26 March
2013 		Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital
5 February
2021 		Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed to tackle organised crime and to prevent it from spreading in Europe.[24]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bilateral Relations". Albanian Embassy in the United Kingdom. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Cook, Bernard A., ed. (2001). "Corfu Channel Incident". Europe Since 1945: An Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Taylor & Francis. p. 224. ISBN 978-0-8153-1336-6. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  3. ^ JSTOR The Corfu Channel Case Quincy Wright The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 43, No. 3 (July 1949), pp. 491–494 (article consists of 4 pages) Published by: American Society of International Law Retrieved 31-07-08
  4. ^ Roselli, Alessandro (2006). Italy and Albania: financial relations in the Fascist period. I.B. Tauris. pp. 136–137. ISBN 9781845112547. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  5. ^ UK in Albania (British Embassy in Albania) Archived 26 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ UK in Albania (British Embassy in Albania) Archived 26 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Cook, Bernard A., ed. (2001). "Corfu Channel Incident". Europe Since 1945: An Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Taylor & Francis. p. 224. ISBN 978-0-8153-1336-6. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  8. ^ ABC CLIO Schools Corfu Channel Incident (1946)
  9. ^ Elsie, Robert (2010), Historical dictionary of Albania, Lanham: Scarecrow Press, p. 13, ISBN 978-0-8108-7380-3, OCLC 454375231, retrieved 4 February 2012
  10. ^ Elsie, Robert (2010), Historical dictionary of Albania, Lanham: Scarecrow Press, p. 14, ISBN 978-0-8108-7380-3, OCLC 454375231, retrieved 4 February 2012
  11. ^ "Harry Hodgkinson". United Kingdom: Macmillan. 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2010. Harry Hodgkinson (1913–1994) was a writer, journalist, naval intelligence officer, Balkan expert and from 1985 Chairman of the Anglo-Albanian Association.
  12. ^ Elsie, Robert (2010), Historical dictionary of Albania, Lanham: Scarecrow Press, p. 14, ISBN 978-0-8108-7380-3, OCLC 454375231, retrieved 4 February 2012
  13. ^ "Royal Marines begin exercise Albanian Lion". UK Ministry of Defence. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Royal Marines launch final assualt [sic] on exercise Albanian Lion". UK Ministry of Defence. 17 September 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  15. ^ "1,500 UK maritime forces take part in exercise with Albania". royalnavy.mod.uk. 10 October 2016.
  16. ^ "EU - Albania". World Trade Organization. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  17. ^ "UK and Albania sign Agreement to deepen economic relationship and political efforts to tackle serious organised crime". GOV.UK. 5 February 2021. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  18. ^ "UK and Albania agree trade deal". Emerging Europe. 5 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  19. ^ "UK trade agreements in effect". GOV.UK. 3 November 2022. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Albania – United Kingdom, excellent relationship". kryeministria.al. 18 November 2015.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ "Bilateral Relations". ambasadat.gov.al.
  22. ^ "UK and Albania sign Agreement to deepen economic relationship and political efforts to tackle serious organised crime". 5 February 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.

External links