The United States has decided to take strong action in response to certain inappropriate and unacceptable activities, State Department spokesman Philip Reeker told reporters.

"We have declared seven diplomats from the Cuban interests section here in Washington persona non grata, requiring their departure from the United States," Reeker said.

"In a separate action, seven members of the Cuban mission to the United Nations have been requested to leave the United States for engaging in activities deemed to be harmful to the United States, outside of their official capacity as members of the permanent mission of Cuba to the United Nations," he said, adding that those activities constitute an abuse of their privileges of residence.

The spokesman accused the Cuban government of having a long record of espionage.

The State Department formally notified the Cuban Interests Section in Washington of the decision with a diplomatic note on Tuesday, and all the 14 Cuban diplomats have to leave the US within 10 days since Tuesday morning, Reeker said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2003)