Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence

spread nuclear weapons or weapons technology to states that do not

possess them. Nonnuclear weapons states commit themselves to

forego developing or acquiring nuclear weapons. The treaty also tasks

the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with the inspection

of nonnuclear states’nuclear facilities and establishes safeguards for

the transfer of fissionable materials between nuclear weapons states

and nonnuclear weapons states. Nonnuclear states retain the right to

research, develop, and use nuclear energy for nonweapons purposes.

Finally, the NPT commits the nuclear weapons states to end the nu-

clear arms race and to seek a treaty on general and complete disarma-

ment under strict and effective international control.

The NPTenvisaged a review 25 years after coming into force. Sig-

natory parties met on 11 May 1995 and agreed to extend the treaty in-

definitely despite charges by some nonnuclear weapons states that

the treaty creates a discriminatory regime that works to the detriment

of nonpossessing states. The role of U.S. intelligence concerning the

NPTis limited to verifying compliance with its provisions.

NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO). Estab-

lished by treaty on 4 April 1949, NATO was designed to be a collec-

tive defense arrangement to counter perceived Sovietexpansionist

goals in Europe at the beginning of the Cold War. NATO’s founding

states were: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Lux-

embourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom,

and the United States. Four more states joined NATO in subsequent

years: Greece (1952), Turkey (1952), Germany (1955), and Spain

(1982). During the 40 years of East-West confrontation, NATO also

evolved into a club of democratic states.

Following the end of the Cold War, 10 East European states, most

former members of the Warsaw Pact, joined NATO: the Czech Re-

public (1999), Poland (1999), Hungary (1999), Estonia (2004),

Lithuania (2004), Latvia (2004), Romania (2004), Slovakia (2004),

Slovenia (2004), and Bulgaria (2004).

NORTH, OLIVER LAURENCE (1943– ).Oliver North, a Marine

Corps lieutenant colonel, acquired notoriety in the mid-1980s for his

role in the Iran-Contra Affair. North, at the time a staff member of

the National Security Council (NSC), directed a network of former

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