EU ready to continue Afghanistan aid but watching new government

FILE PHOTO: European Commissioner for Inter-institutional Relations and Foresight Maros Sefcovic speaks during a news conference on Brexit at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 30, 2021. Francisco Seco/Pool via REUTERS

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is ready to continue with emergency aid to Afghanistan but will keep a close eye on the new Taliban government, a senior member of the bloc's executive said on Wednesday.

"The European Union is ready to continue to offer humanitarian assistance," European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said, adding however that longer-term donor money depended on the Taliban upholding basic freedoms.