Azerbaijan is willing to get an observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Moskovskij Komsomolets reports.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the near future can be enlarged by two new countries. According to experts, India and Pakistan, who have long expressed their desire to join the organisation, has no problems for joining.

Mongolia and Afghanistan, which have observer status, also stated their intention to join the block.

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Nepal and Sri Lanka have applied for the observer status in 2012.

At the same time, Iran's bid had to be decline once again. This is due to the sanctions that apply to this country.

Today SCO includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier that the organization can be enlarged with new members. In Dushanbe, another step has been taken towards the possible expansion: delegations addopted documents regulating entry of new states into SCO.

(MOSKOVSKIJ KOMSOMOLETS)