The European Union (EU) says it will change its policy towards Afghanistan’s new government if the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) can win the consent of the Afghan people.

EU Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas Nicholson, who recently arrived in Kabul, told Ariana News on Thursday that they are ready to engage with the new Afghan government, but that any negotiations with the Islamic Emirate will depend on their actions towards the Afghan people.

“For us it is important that the government initiates a dialogue with its people and that together with the people they define process so that each and every Afghan man and woman can have a say for the future of the country.

“If the interim government gets acceptance by its people that will be the first thing we will look at when we decide on how we can engage with interim government but in any case our commitment to the people is steadfast and we want to stay focused on that,” said Nicholson.

Nicholson also said that the current Afghan government had come to power by force and that no decision on recognizing the government would be taken until it met international standards.

“International recognition will depend on domestic recognition the key point is that the government is not a legitimate government it came to power by force it has probably, but we are not sure, revoked the constitution and it has not set out a process where people can have a say in the future of the country so recognition will depend on domestic acceptance, it will depend on security guarantees and it will depend also on human rights being fully respected,” Nicholson added.

Nicholson said that the IEA currently has two options: either to rule by force, which he believes will have dangerous consequences, or to submit to a government approved by the people.

“There is a choice to be made between ruling by force and governing by approval, you can rule by force but you will never get the people to work with you and you will also lose information, you will not know what people want, you will not know what people think because they are afraid to speak and that could mean that one day … it gets too much and people will take up arms,” Nicholson said.

However, seven months after the Islamic Emirate took over in the country, no country has yet recognized the new government of Afghanistan, and sanctions by the international community remain in place.