On August 8, 1949 two British personalities requested a meeting with Ndue Markagjoni in Rome to discuss his possible inclusion into the “National Committee for Free Albania” (NCFA) which was being established. The following is a recount of what transpired as written by a witness to the meeting. This meeting would prove instrumental in the inclusion of the National Independent Bloc (BKI) to the NCFA in 1953, when that Committee was restructured. Following the images is the English translation.

 Meeting Ndue Gjon Marku with British – August 8, 1949

The letter above was written by Gjon Markagjoni to His Excellency G. B. Montini (future Pope Paul VI) in Rome on September 9, 1949, one month after the meeting between Ndue Markagjoni and the British agents took place. Gjon Markagjoni was in daily contact with the Vatican, as history shows the ties which bound the leaders of Mirdita with the Catholic Church. During his and Ndue’s exile in Italy they were in constant contact so that the Church was kept abreast of the issues surrounding Albania and through this alliance the Vatican assisted Gjon and Ndue Gjomarkaj, as well as other Albanians in exile both spiritually and materially. (English translation below)

 Excellency Letter 1949

The above letter was written to Gjon Markagjoni by His Excellency G.B. Montini (future Pope Paul VI) in response to his previous letter of 9 September, 1949 (above). The letter states the following:

“In reply to the esteemed letter of your most illustrious lordship, I have the honor to notify you that what you are expressing not within the competence of this office but of the Holy Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, to which the document has therefore been duly forwarded.
I am grateful to you for your courteous care and I profess myself with distinct esteem
to your most illustrious lordship

your devoted

G.B. Montini” 

These CIA documents support the meeting which was held in 1949, as detailed above. The CIA efforts to recruit Ndue Markagjoni into the NCFA would not be realized until 1953 when finally the BKI was inducted into the restructured Committee.

OBOPUS BGFIEND VOL. 15 (BGFIEND OPERATIONS)_0062-CHARITY-BGFIEND-NDUE BKI 1950 – “…feels that the son of Markagjoni would again refuse to become a member of the Free Albanian Committee unless he could be accepted as a member of the BKI.”

OBOPUS BGFIEND VOL. 15 (BGFIEND OPERATIONS)_0063-BGFIEND 1950-NDUE – “…but it would be useful if a member of the Markagjoni family (preferably Ndue) could be induced to join on a personal basis.”

The CIA document below refers to the Objective of the NCFA. The paragraph cited below is on page 2. This statement also supports the meeting which took place in September 1949. Although names are not used, Ndue Markagjoni was the only person who was contacted and asked to join the Committee as an individual and not as a party member. His allegiance and deep rooted honor would not permit him to even contemplate such an allegiance outside of the party which he co-founded.

OBOPUS BG FIEND VOL. 3 (OBLIVIOUS NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR FREE ALBANIA)_0016-NCFA Formation-BKI 1951 – “It was decided that a broader base was desirable and efforts were made to include an un-compromised member of the BKI on a personal, not party, basis and a representative of the BKO in the NCFA. However, intransigent members of the NCFA steadfastly refused to accept broadening…”