Bahrain welcomes UAE decision to deny London academic entry

Bahrain has welcomed the UAE's decision to block the entry of a UK-based academic to the country, according to Wam, the state news agency.

Dr Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, from the London School of Economics, was denied entry at Dubai airport on February 22 because of his "unhelpful" views on the political situation in Bahrain.

The conference he was due to attend at the American University of Sharjah, which was to be co-hosted by the LSE, was subsequently cancelled.

In a statement, the Bahraini ministry of foreign affairs said the UAE's move was "a true reflection of the strong bonds of fraternity between the UAE and Bahrain and an example of GCC co-operation in addressing such issues".

It called for "special care" to be taken to ensure impartiality and credibility in GCC universities.