Probe will receive ‘gists and quotes’ of communications from Blair to Bush in run-up to conflict in 2003.
2014-05-29 - The British government agreed on Thursday to give extracts of letters from Tony Blair to George W. Bush to an inquiry into the Iraq war, overcoming the main hurdle to publication of the long-awaited report.
The probe will receive "gists and quotes" of communications from former prime minister Blair to ex-president Bush in the run-up to the conflict in 2003, inquiry chief John Chilcot said in an official letter.
But Bush's replies will not be included in the report, which is examining Britain's involvement in the war, Chilcot said.
"I am pleased to record that we have now reached agreement on the principles that will underpin disclosure of... communications between the UK Prime Minister and the President of the United States," Chilcot said in his letter to Jeremy Heywood, the British government's top civil servant. read more>>>
May 27, 2014 - The 2003 invasion of Iraq began a long conflict that cost the lives of 179 British service personnel and more than 100,000 Iraqis, according to several sources.
We were originally promised an independent inquiry back in 2009, to “strengthen the health of our democracy, our diplomacy and our military”.
But five years on – and more than a decade after the war - the final report of Sir John Chilcot’s inquiry remains unpublished.
The man who took Britain to war in 2003 – former prime minister Tony Blair – insisted today that he was not holding up the investigation, contrary to a slew of press stories.
Why has it taken so long for the inquiry to see the light of day? read more>>>
Gists of Tony Blair's conversations with George Bush to be published while former US President's views will remain secret, Chilcot Inquiry told
29 May 2014 - The full account of Tony Blair’s exchanges with US President George Bush in the run up to the Iraq war will remain secret after a deal was struck to only release extracts.
Only gists of the crucial conversations and a selection of quotes from Mr Blair will be published in the long-overdue report from the Chilcot Inquiry, it has been announced.
The deal also means no detail of Mr Bush’s comments or views made during the exchanges will be made public.
The agreement ends years of delays in the high-profile inquiry, which has examined Britain’s handling of the 2003 conflict, caused by sensitive negotiations over the release of the Blair and Bush communications.
The material will come from 25 notes from Mr Blair to Mr Bush and more than 130 records of conversations between the former Prime Minister and then US president. read more>>>
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