Athens Jan 23, (DPA-NT) - The new Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and his newly-formed cabinet were sworn in by President Kostis Stephanopoulos Monday. Papandreou's last government had 52 members compared with Simitis' 40 ministers, including secretaries. The cabinet's only deputy minister is Yorgos Romaios, who will handle questions of European unity for the foreign ministry. Akis Tsochatsopoulos und Gerassimos Arsenis, Simitis' two main rivals for the premiership, stay in their posts as interior and defence ministers respectively. Ex-premier Papandreou's son Yorgos will keep his position as minister of education and the arts. Simitis appointed Theodoros Pangalos to succeed Karolos Papoulias as foreign minister. Pangalos has been characterised as having a sharp tongue. When he served as European minister, he reportedly had to apologize for telling the German foreign minister in 1994 that Germany was a "giant with the brain of a small child". The new prime minister has kept on many of the ministers from the Papandreou cabinet, but replaced all those considered particularly close to the former premier. Vaso Papandreou was appointed to lead the ministries of trade, industry and tourism. He had served as a commissioner to the European Union and is not related to the ex-premier. Simitis replaced many Papandreou-loyal ministers with top politicians from the socialist party who had supported him when he was considered a party outcast. Simitis, Vaso Papandreou and Pangalos were among the first to criticise the Papandreou government, saying the ex-premier was too sick and weak to lead the nation. dpa pt rwz /AA1234/221250 Jan 96 nnnn

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