I have received your message on the transfer of eight destroyers to the Soviet Union by the British Government. I am ready to agree that the said destroyers are quite fit for escort service but surely you realise that the Soviet Union also needs destroyers fit for other combat operations. The Allies' right to dispose of the Italian Navy is absolutely beyond question, of course and this should be made clear to the Italian Government especially as regards the Italian ships which are to be transferred to the Soviet Union.

March 17, 1944