the afore-mentioned decision of the Moscow conference
Perusal of its text shows that according to this decision, the
Conference may deal only with the treaties of peace with
five of Germany's former satellites. Nothing else was envis-
aged for consideration at the Peace Conference.
I understand the French representative, who spoke before
me and correctly pointed out that the tasks of the Peace
Conference did not include examination of questions relating
to Albania and Greece. Albania is not a former satellite of
Germany, it is not one of the former enemy stales. No
matter how much the Greek delegation may talk here about
Greece still being in a 'state of war with Albania, this will
remain an unfounded and irresponsible statement, invented
in order to threaten little Albania and justify the plans of
aggrandizement of Greece's rulers. In spite of this declara-
tion we, by unanimous decision of the Conference, invited
Albania to our Conference not as an enemy state, but as
one of the states which helped the Allies during the war
against Germany. And we greeted here the representative of
the new democratic Albania, which fought together with u's
against Germany and fascist Italy and helped us to vanquish
fascism. The Soviet delegation considers that such a friendly
attitude towards pre'sent democratic Albania is the only
correct attitude. If, however, we take the line of supporting
the annexationist claims of the present Greek rulers, the
Conference will 'slide into a wrong course, the course into
which they are trying to push us.
It follows from all this that the Conference should not,
and has no right to, consider any other questions than those
outlined for it when it was convoked.
But perhaps one or another of the delegations present
here has been authorized to consider any question it pleases
at this Conference? Hardly so. In any case, the Soviet dele-
gation has no such authority. Nor have we hitherto been
17f)