Editing Treaty of Algeron (section)

=Brief Introduction & Overview=
The Treaty of Algeron was a peace treaty signed between the [[United Federation of Planets]] and the [[Romulan Star Empire]] in 2311, following the events of the [[Tomed Incident]].  The treaty reinforced and re-defined the [[Romulan Neutral Zone]], and made clear that any violations of the Zone without adequate notification, by either side, would be considered an act of war.  With that, the Romulans disappeared and were not heard from for many decades.

Research into, and the use of cloaking technology by the Federation is strictly prohibited by this treaty.  Admiral Erik Pressman attempted to circumvent this clause in 2358 with the test of an [[Phase cloaking|interphase cloaking device]] developed by [[Starfleet Intelligence]] (possibly the covert [[Section 31]]) aboard the USS Pegasus.  Ultimately, this experiment was a failure.

In the early 2400's, an agreement between the [[Federation]] and the [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulans]] allowed the use of two cloaking devices on Starfleet vessels usef to explore Breen territory in mored depth.  In return, the Federation was to provide the Romulans with any gathered intelligence.  In 2406, the [[Federation Civil War]] broke out, and as the fighting between [[Robert LoDona|LoDona]] & [[Doenitz]] began, this temporary agreement with the [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulans]] was conveniently forgotten.  In an attempt to gain an advantage, one side used these cloaking devices to equip some of it's military vessels, then in response so did the other side.  

Exactly who acted first is uncertain, but as the war rolled in to full swing, the [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulans]] did nothing to enforce this aspect of the treaty, nor were they inclined to do so.  Uncertain of whether they had the military power to lead a war against the already fully armed [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulans]], it was in their interests to allow the [[Federation]] to tear itself apart.  It was the view of many [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulans]] that one day the Federation would make itself so weak that it would be unable to resist the demands of the empire.  In 2407, after the civil war had come to a close, the [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulans]] once more atempted to open negotiations.  Their intentions at first were unclear, but it would seem that the articles in the [[Treaty of Algeron]] would be at the very centre of their agenda.