HAVANA, April 15: A Czech diplomat headed for Prague on Saturday after Cuba accused him of spying for the United States, angering EU diplomats who recently lifted sanctions against the Communist island.

The expulsion of Czech first secretary Stanislav Kazecky from Cuba came less than three months after the European Union reviewed its Cuba policy and in January lifted sanctions against Cuba in favour of talks.

“I am ready to leave the country,” Kazecky told AFP.

“This was unexpected,” said Kazecky, 34, who has spent two years on mission in Cuba. “I will take care of a few things and leave tonight for Prague.”

Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque on Friday gave Kazecky 72 hours to leave, accusing him of being a spy for the US government.

Kazecky “continually carried out intelligence work and subversive tasks and worked here not for the Czech government but for the United States government,” Perez Roque said.

Kazecky reiterated his denial of the Cuban government’s accusations. Earlier he said that his expulsion was retaliation for his having met opposition leaders here.

“The human rights situation is not good, it’s rather difficult,” Kazecky told AFP on Friday, noting that no additional political prisoners had been released recently.

In Prague, the Czech foreign ministry announced on Friday that it would not renew the visa of a Cuban diplomat based in Prague in reprisal. Perez Roque also accused Kazecky of doling out cash and goods to opposition groups and trying to gain access to military installations and to photograph them.

“I have not entered any military installation and never intended to. I work for the government of the Czech Republic and its foreign policy,” Kazecky said.—AFP