DHAKA: Details of the ‘gist’ of talks between Tony Blair and George Bush ahead of the Iraq war are to be published.

The UK’s Chilcot inquiry says, reports the BBC.

But transcripts and full notes of conversations will remain secret at the request of the government.

The agreement between the inquiry and Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood could clear the way for the report to be published later this year.

It is thought to have been delayed by wrangling over what could be released.

The inquiry has been given full records of talks between the two leaders in the run-up to war but was prevented by the government from publishing them alongside its final report, even when bits of them were blacked out.

The inquiry has instead been granted permission to ‘disclose quotes or gists of the content’ to help explain its conclusions, inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot explained in a letter to Sir Jeremy.

BDST: 2057 HRS, MAY 29, 2014