Italy, Secret Treaty of London and the Albanian Issue

Abstract

Through this work we aim to analyze the Italian attitude towards the Albanian state at the beginning of the XX century, based on the treatment of the Secret Treaty of London in May 1915. This treaty synthesised the Italian policy towards the newly established Albanian state, during one of the most difficult periods of Europe, the First World War. Newly established Albanian state with its truncated borders of the London Conference in 1913, deserved to have at least the support of the overseas neighbor, Italy, and this would bring friendship and mutual interest. But Italy although an affirmed world power, failed to rise beyond an shortsighted and imperialist interest versus Albania, aiming through this treaty to divide Albanian lands with other treacherous neighbors, and eventually disappear the descendants of the great Skanderbeg, of Pyrrhu, Ali Pasha, the Great Kostandin, the ancient Pellazgo- Illyrians.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n2p219