TASS, August 30. Syrian President Bashar Assad published a decree on Sunday on setting up a new government in the Arab republic.

According to the president’s chancellery, the new government will be led by Prime Minister Hussein Arnous, who had served as the head of the cabinet since June 11 after former prime minister Imad Khamis resigned. In the previous government, Arnous was minister of Syria’s water resources.

Under the decree, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayyoub retained his post in the new cabinet. The foreign and interior ministers, Walid Muallem and Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun, will also continue fulfilling their duties.

Assad appointed new finance minister Kenan Yagi. The Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources and Minister of Industry will be Bassam Tuome and Ziyad Sabbag. The new Minister of Agriculture and Agricultural Reform is Muhammed Khassan Katnan.

The new Syrian government was set up after the July 19 elections to the People’s Council (parliament). The National Unity bloc secured victory in the polls. It is led by Arab Socialist Ba·ath Party, where President Bashar Assad is Secretary-General.