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Albania
Changes in the 1980s
Hoxha had basically used the threat of external enemies to justify
a repressive internal policy. His primary goal was to stay in
power, and an isolationist foreign policy suited this goal. But
some members of the APL leadership began to question the efficacy
of such a policy, particularly in view of its adverse economic
consequences. At the end of the 1970s, Hoxha was pressured into
sanctioning a cautious effort to strengthen bilateral relations
with Albania's neighbors, in particular Yugoslavia. Bilateral
cultural contacts between the two countries increased, and by
1980 Yugoslavia had replaced China as Albania's main trading partner.
In the early 1980s, however, Yugoslavia's military suppression
of ethnic Albanians demonstrating in the province of Kosovo led
to a chill in Albanian-Yugoslav relations. Approximately two million
ethnic Albanians lived in Kosovo, and Albania supported Kosovo's
demands that it be granted the status of a republic. Yugoslavia
responded by accusing Albania of interfering in its internal affairs,
and cultural and economic contacts were severely reduced. Trade
between the two countries stagnated.
In the early 1980s, a diplomatic shift toward Italy, Greece,
and Turkey occurred. In November 1984, Alia, as Hoxha's heir apparent,
gave a speech in which he expressed an interest in expanding relations
with West European countries. He noted that "Albania is a European
country and as such it is vitally interested in what is occurring
on that continent." Relations with Italy and Greece became noticeably
stronger in the early and mid-1980s. In 1983 Albania signed an
agreement with Italy on establishing a maritime link between the
ports of Durrės and Trieste. The two countries also ratified a
long-term trade agreement, whereby Albania would send Italy raw
materials in exchange for industrial technology. Albania entered
into a longterm economic accord with Greece in December 1984,
and the two countries also signed a series of agreements on road
transportation, cultural exchanges, scientific and technological
cooperation, telecommunications, and postal services. Albania's
closer relations with Italy and Greece caused Yugoslavia concern,
primarily because it appeared preferable to Belgrade to have Albania
isolated. But Albania worried that West European countries would
allow Yugoslavia to dictate its policies if it failed to develop
strong relations with other countries in the region.
Data as of April 1992
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