Pursuant to Article 10 of the Washington Treaty, NATO nations may, “by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State in a position to further the principles of [the] Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area to accede to [the] Treaty”. In addition, aspirant countries should meet certain political criteria. These include, for example, having a democratic political system, a free-market economy, fair treatment of minorities, and the will to settle disputes peacefully. Depending on a country’s situation, accession to NATO may thus require substantial reform efforts on the part of the aspirant.