Brussels, 22/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - At a proposal by Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative, the Foreign Affairs Council reached a political agreement on Monday 22 February on the appointment of Vygaudas Usackas of Lithuania as the new EU Special Representative for Afghanistan. The former Lithuanian foreign minister succeeds Ettore Francesco Sequi of Italy. Usackas will hold a double-hatted role, as he will also be head of the EU delegation in Kabul. His formal appointment is expected to take place during this week, most likely at the JHA Council on 25 February. Monday's Council also decided to extend by six months the mandates of other EU Special Representatives (pending the setting up of the new European External Action Service, EEAS), all of which expire on 28 February. This concerns: - Torben Brylle (SR for Sudan), Pieter Feith (Kosovo), Valentin Inzko (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Kalman Mizsei (Moldova), Pierre Morel (Central Asia and Georgia), Marc Otte (Middle East Peace Process), Peter Semney (South Caucasus), Roeland van de Geer (African Great Lakes Region), and Koen Vervaeke (African Union). (H.B./transl.jl)