New Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Minister Kristian Vigenin has stated Wednesday he and President Rosen Plevneliev are on the same positions in all foreign policy areas.

According to the Bulgarian Constitution, the President too has powers in leading the foreign policy of the country, which creates a situation of potential conflict.

Vigenin singled out relations with neighboring Macedonia, regarding which he said his policy will be in unity with that of President Plevneliev.

The Bulgarian top diplomat stated that he is optimistic progress can be achieved towards creating a healthy neighborly relationship.

But he stressed that Bulgaria will not tolerate any discrimination against ethnic Bulgarians in Macedonia, and any encroachment upon Bulgarian cultural and historic heritage in the country.

Currently, the two countries are conducting talks regarding a so-called Treaty of Good Neighborly relations, proposed by Plevneliev and Vigenin's predecessor Nikolay Mladenov.

Vigenin revealed that Bulgaria's chief negotiator in the process is ambassador to Skopje Ivan Petkov.

In addition, Bulgaria's Foreign Affairs Minister stressed that he will not allow any political appointments in Bulgaria's diplomatic service, and called on media to refrain publishing unconfirmed reprots to that effect.

Kristian Vigenin is a representative of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and former socialist MEP, while Rosen Plevneliev entered into Bulgarian politics as a minister in the rival GERB cabinet of ex-PM Boyko Borisov.