Bulgaria becomes more and more popular in the United States, former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani said at his meeting with Foreign Minister Passy in Austria's capital of Vienna. The meeting was held in the framework of the international two-day conference on anti-Semitism, which opened Thursday.

The two officials also noted the improved bilateral relations between the two countries.

Rudolph Giuliani sought the cooperation of Bulgaria's Foreign Minister for the organization of the next international conference on anti-Semitism to be held during Bulgaria's presidency of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

He stressed the importance of making such forums regular, to address the issues of intolerance-triggered crimes in different countries.

Each country must collect data on such crimes and present it at special forums, Giuliani said.

Minister Passy welcomed the proposals and extended an invitation to Rudolph Giuliani to visit Bulgaria.

Bulgaria will assume the Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for 2004 immediately after the end of its term as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Bulgaria's bid to chair the 55-country organization was approved unanimously at the Tenth OSCE Ministerial Council in Porto, Portugal.