making it hard for the United States to maintain its own position. This was strange, since many in the Communist government were educated abroad, including one Koço Tashko, who was educated at Harvard. Relations further deteriorated when the economic adviser of the U.S. mission, Harry T. Fultz, and employees of the American mission (who Fultz taught), along with the UNRRA's representatives, were charged with sabotage of a draining project in Lake Maliq. The United States considered the situation unacceptable and wanted a withdrawal of the mission, which occurred on November 2, 1946. All in all, the decision to disengage with Albania was in large part due to it not being important to the United States political or economic interests. The U.S. trade balance in the nation was $280,000; while the total assets amounted to $1.3 million. America turned hostile against the Hoxha regime; it also turned to indirectly support the division of Albania, which gave the Communist government a reasoning for its hostility. After a rather embarrassing incident in 1947, a mutual hostility remained between the two countries, even as Albania moved from Yugoslavian to Soviet to Chinese dominination. On October 5, 1966, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria, Lujo Toncic-Sorinj, explained that Albania wanted to meet with Secretary of State Dean Rusk. Minister Toncic referenced Hoxha's approaches to him, stating that: "Albanians have indicated a desire to move nearer the West but they appear not to dare take any plunge and seem to be afraid of being repulsed by the West." Toncic asked the secretary if he expected any change in Albania's diplomatic position. Rusk speculated that Albanians could become restless under their monopolization by China and indicated "it would be a great mistake for the United States to try to probe the intentions of the Albanians." While trade was almost nonexistent between the two countries, in 1978 Albanian traders attempted to sell chromium to the United States by using a Swedish trading company as a middleman. Relations with the west began to thaw after Hoxha's death in 1985, but the Communist government was still in power. Ties between the two nations were reestablished in 1990 when the first contacts were reestablished. Albania returned to warm relations with the United States, especially after the Secretary of State James A. Baker visited Albania in 1991. The United States was also important in the landslide victory of Sali Berisha in