Forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara -- internationally recognised as the winner of November's presidential election -- seized control of San Pedro overnight, raising hopes of a resumption in cocoa exports from the world's top producer.
"All the sanctions remain in place, including sanctions on San Pedro port ... No exemptions were foreseen in the initial list of sanctions," one EU diplomat in Brussels told Reuters.
"No such (exemption) is actually being discussed, but if that were to be the case, it would take at least four to five days to enter into force," a second diplomat said.
The EU placed sanctions on the San Pedro port authority in January which blocked its cocoa exports to Europe, in an attempt to stop presidential incumbent Laurent Gbagbo using funds from the lucrative trade to retain his grip on power.
Despite Ouattara's forces having taken swathes of territory in Ivory Coast in recent days, including in the country's western cocoa-producing belt, the EU is currently ruling out any sudden end to its sanctions on the west African state.
The quickest option to resume cocoa exports from Ivory Coast could be for Ouattara to create a new entity with a separate administrative and financial structure from the current San Pedro port authority, one of the EU diplomats said.
The EU is currently considering extending its sanctions to new entities and individuals in Ivory Coast, possibly including adding more officials to the list of people subject to EU visa bans and asset freezes.
The U.N. Security Council imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Gbagbo and his closest associates on Wednesday, with all 15 council members voting for a resolution that echoes earlier U.N. calls for Gbagbo to step down and seeking to prevent use of heavy weapons in Abidjan. (Reuters)
