Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphédinsson signed the United Nations Security Council’s directive on coercion methods against Libya yesterday.

With the directive, Iceland will follow the UNSC’s resolution No. 1970 (2011) on Libya and its executive board’s decisions on coercion methods, a press release from the ministry states.

The directive includes a ban of arms trades with Libya, the authority to inspect cargo heading to and from the country, a debarkation ban on Muammar Gaddafi, Libya’s dictator, his family and close associates and the freezing of their assets.

According to Morgunbladid, the Icelandic Coast Guard has received a request from Frontex, the European Union agency for external border security, that they send a cruiser and an airplane to patrol the Mediterranean Sea due to unrest in Libya and other North African countries.

Director of the Coast Guard Georg Lárusson said it hasn’t been decided whether the request will be agreed to but preparations to that extent have begun.

The Coast Guard cruiser Aegir performed patrol duties for Frontex last summer and early fall and an agreement had been made on continued patrolling from the sea and air next summer.