Western and Southern (W): Albania (WA). Arbitration on Conflicting Claims to Albanian Gold Looted from Rome by the Germans During the War and Destined to be Applied to Settle Restitution Claims.

A file containing documents relating to a decision in the arbitration case involving competing Italian and Albanian claims to recover gold looted by the Germans from the Bank of Albania in Rome in 1943. Documents in the file include requests for copies of the judgement; British Parliamentary Questions about the case; telegrams between the Foreign Office and British embassies in Washington and The Hague about the handling of the case; and an Italian application to the International Court of Justice (I.C.J.) about the distribution of the gold. Subjects discussed in the file include American State Department requests that the decision in the case not be given unnecessary publicity; how the gold should be handled by international authorities whilst waiting for any applications to the I.C.J. in the case; an Italian proposal for a compromise settlement of the case; and I.C.J. procedures to be followed if any case were lodged.