Southern (R): Albania (RA). UK Government's Claim to Albanian Monetary Gold, Looted from Rome by the Germans in 1943, in Partial Satisfaction of Damage Awarded by the International Court of Justice in 1949 Corfu Channel Case: Negotiations with Italy

A file containing documents relating to efforts to find agreement between the British and Italian governments about the ownership of gold looted by the German army from an Albanian bank in Rome in 1943. Subjects discussed in the file include the legal basis of the Italian claim; the possibility of a compromise being found before a visit to London by Italian ministers; and the effect on British public opinion of the government withdrawing its claim to all the gold, which was based on an international court judgement on compensation for damage caused to British ships in the Corfu Channel by the Albanian military. Other subjects discussed in the file include the approval of possible settlements by the American and French governments; Britain's potential agreement to a settlement without an international court decision on the validity of Italy's claim; and a legal expert being sent to London by the Italian government.