Details added to article following fourth paragraph (first version posted at 12:08)
Azerbaijan, Baku, April 15 / Trend K. Zarbaliyeva /
OSCE welcomes actions taken by Azerbaijan in its fight against corruption, head of OSCE office in Baku Ali Bilge Cankorel said.
Corruption is an evil that concerns all countries throughout the world, he said at a forum on fighting corruption in Azerbaijan.
"OSCE considers corruption a top priority in its activities," he said.
"The virus of corruption weakens the economy -- the democratic values of the country," he said. "It causes withdrawal of foreign investors from the country. It harms [national] security."
He said that OSCE is ready to assist the countries in combating corruption.
"OSCE stands ready to provide the countries with the necessary technical support," he said. "Azerbaijan has made important changes in this area, such as adopting the law on corruption embodied in the National Strategy, encompassing 2007-2011. All these are important steps."
The OSCE representative also urged authorities to include non-governmental organizations in this struggle.