HELSINKI, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Finnish President Tarja Halonen announced a cabinet reshuffle Friday, the Finnish government said in a statement.

    The Ministry of Employment and the Economy Ministry will be setup on Jan. 1, 2008, while the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Labor will be abolished at the same time, the statement said.

    Halonen appointed Mauri Pekkarinen, current Trade Minister, as the Minister of Economic Affairs, and Labor Minister Tarja Cronberg as the new Minister of Employment.

    The government also made some changes to the division of duties among the ministers in the Interior Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Environment Ministry.