CAIRO - The new Egyptian cabinet led by Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq was sworn in Monday, state media reported. 

President Hosni Mubarak held a meeting with the new Cabinet who had taken the constitutional oath.

Related readings:  Egypt protesters persevere  Planes to bring Chinese travelers in Egypt back  China hopes Egypt restores stability, order soon  Egypt's cabinet officially resigns

In the meeting, the president confirmed the priority of fighting corruption, as well as taking the required measures to reassure the safety of public and private properties.  

The meeting also discussed means of controlling prices and preventing inflation, as well as keeping dialogue with all the political parties to maintain reforms.

With some ministers unchanged, the new cabinet line-up includes twelve new faces in interior, financial, housing, trade and industry, agriculture, irrigation, civil aviation, culture, transportation, health, local development and Waqfs (Religious Endowments).

The new cabinet included a new Shouah Council Affairs Ministry and divided the ministry of culture and antiquities into two new dependent ministries.

Mubarak appointed Aviation Minister Ahmed Shafiq, a former Air Force commander, as prime minister after the previous cabinet led by Mohamed Nazif was sacked by the president on Saturday.

Mubarak on Sunday tasked Shafiq to form a cabinet that can meet people's demands and alleviate economic burdens on the public with introducing democratic reforms.

Dialogue with Opposition

Egypt's new Vice President Omar Suleiman announced on Monday that the Egyptian president appointed him to hold immediate dialogue with the opposition.

According to Suleiman, President Hosni Mubarak highlighted the importance of executing court's orders to correct the parliamentary elections results, which the opposition has alleged fraudulent.

Suleiman, a former intelligence chief, was recently appointed as Egypt's vice president in response to the massive protests that took place in Egypt governorates.