NATO; Ministry of Supply; Royal Netherlands Association

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is an alliance based on political and military co-operation among member countries, established in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. NATO was established by the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty, commonly referred to as the Treaty of Washington. The North Atlantic Alliance consists of the transatlantic partnership between the European members of NATO and the United States and Canada, and is entrusted to support peace and stability throughout Europe. The objectives of the partnership between the European and North American members of the Alliance are primarily political, underpinned by shared defence planning and military co-operation and by co- operation and consultation in economic, scientific, environmental and other relevant fields. Throughout the years of the Cold War, however, NATO focused primarily on the development and maintenance of collective defence and on overcoming the fundamental political issues dividing Europe. Today its focus is on promoting stability throughout Europe through co-operation and by developing the means for collective crisis management and peacekeeping