Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
DEED OF GUARANTEE
by
CHINA HOUSING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT,
INC.
Dated November 5, 2008
Xi ‘an Baqiao Project
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Clause
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Page
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1.
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INTERPRETATION
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1
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2.
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GUARANTEE
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3
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3.
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REINSTATEMENT
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5
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4.
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NATURE OF
GUARANTEE AND WAIVER OF DEFENCES
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5
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5.
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
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8
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6.
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UNDERTAKINGS
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10
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7.
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PERSONAL
LIABILITY
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12
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8.
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POWER OF
ATTORNEY
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12
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9.
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CLAIMS BY THE
GUARANTOR
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13
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10.
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TAXES AND OTHER
DEDUCTIONS
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13
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11.
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FEES, COSTS,
EXPENSES AND INTEREST
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13
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12.
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INDEMNITY
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14
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13.
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MISCELLANEOUS
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16
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14.
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NOTICES
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16
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15.
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SEVERABILITY
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16
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16.
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AMENDMENTS AND
WAIVERS
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17
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17.
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SET-OFF
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17
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18.
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CHANGES TO THE
PARTIES
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17
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19.
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GOVERNING
LAW
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17
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20.
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ENFORCEMENT
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17
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THIS DEED OF GUARANTEE (the
“DEED”) is
dated November 5, 2008 and is made BY:
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(1)
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CHINA
HOUSING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT, INC., a corporation established under the laws of the
State of Nevada, the United States of America, with its registered
address at 1000 E William ST., Suite 204 Carson City, NV
89701-3108, the United States of America (the
“Guarantor”).
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IN FAVOUR OF:
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(2)
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SUCCESS HILL
INVESTMENTS LIMITED, a
company incorporated under the laws of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (“Hong Kong”), with its
registered address at Flat/RM 1508, 15/F, Hing Yip Commercial
Centre, 272-284 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong (the “HK
SPV”); and
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(3)
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Prax Capital
Real Estate Holding Limited, a company established under the laws of Hong
Kong, with its registered address at Flat/RM 1508, 15/F, Hing Yip
Commercial Centre, 272-284 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong
(“Prax”, together with the HK SPV, the
“Beneficiaries”, and each a
“Beneficiary”).
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NOW THIS DEED
WITNESSES as
follows:
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In this Deed,
except where the context otherwise requires:
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“Affiliate” shall have the meaning attributed to
such term in the Shareholders Agreement.
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“Aggregate Development
Cost” means any and
all costs and expenses incurred to cause the Project to be
Completed including all Construction Costs and any other costs and
expenses incurred or otherwise payable by or on behalf of the
Project Company in connection with (i) the due diligence for, and
the bidding and acquisition of, the Target Land, (ii)the design and
engineering of the Project, (iii) any and all permits, licenses,
authorizations and other governmental approvals obtained by or on
behalf of the Company in connection with the acquisition of the
Target Land and the development and construction of the Target
Land, (iv) the construction of the project on the Target Land and
any related on-site and off-site improvements and infrastructure
(including all amounts payable to the general contractor,
subcontractors, suppliers and other persons providing work,
services, material of equipment for the Project), and (v) interest
on any of the amounts described in this definition payable under
the Onshore Financing or other financing obtained by the Project
Company for the development and construction of the
Project.
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“CHL
SPV” means Assets
Management Limited, a company established or to be established
under the laws of the British Virgin Islands.
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1
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“Class
A Shareholders” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the
Shareholders Agreement.
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“Class
B Shareholders” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the
Shareholders Agreement.
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“Construction Cost”
means the aggregate of (i) any
amount incurred or paid to any contractor or sub-contractor in
respect of site preparation, foundation, substructure, finishings,
infrastructure and other miscellaneous works of the Project, or to
any supplier for or in respect of work done, or materials or goods
supplied, in connection with the construction of the Project and in
connection with making the Project fit for occupation and (ii) any
other amounts (including professional fees and other expenses in
connection with the Project) which, in the opinion of the
Beneficiaries, need to be incurred by the Project Company in order
to finally Complete the construction of the Project and cause the
Project to receive a duly issued and approved Project Completion
Filing Form from the applicable PRC government
authorities.
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“Discharge Event”
means the completion of the Class B
Shareholders’ purchase of Class A Shares pursuant to Section
6.1 of the Shareholders Agreement (as evidenced by the Class A
Shareholders’ receipt in full of the Exit Price).
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“Exit
Price” shall have
the meaning ascribed to it in the Shareholders
Agreement.
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“Final
Plans and Specifications” means those final plans and specifications for
the construction and development of the Project, in the form
approved by applicable PRC governmental authorities and approved in
writing by Prax.
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“Framework Agreement”
means that certain Framework
Agreement entered into by and among the Guarantor, New Land and
Prax on the even date hereof.
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“Guaranteed Obligations”
shall have the meaning ascribed to
it in Clause 2.1 of this Deed.
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“New
Land Share Purchase” shall have the meaning ascribed
to it in the Shareholders Agreement.
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“Obligors” means, collectively, New Land (and any third
party succeeding to New Land’s interest in the Project
Company) and the CHL SPV (and any Class B Shareholders succeeding
to CHL SPV’s interest in the HK SPV); and
“Obligor” shall mean one of the
Obligors.
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“Project” means the real estate development project,
predominantly including residential buildings but also including a
commercial area component, that the Project Company will own,
develop, construct, manage and operate on the Target
Land.
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“Put
Option” shall have
the meaning ascribed to it in the Shareholders
Agreement.
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2
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(a)
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Initially
capitalised terms in this Deed have, unless expressly defined
otherwise in this Deed, the same meaning attributed to such terms
in the Framework Agreement.
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(b)
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For the
purposes of this Deed, the construction works of the Project shall
be deemed to have been “Completed” upon, and the
terms “Complete” and
“Completion” shall mean, (i) the issuance of a
Project Completion Filing Form (Chinese characters) with respect to
all of the units for the Project duly completed and approved by all
relevant government authorities in PRC, (ii)the production of
satisfactory evidence to Prax confirming that the Construction
Costs have been fully settled, and (iii) the issuance of written
confirmation from Prax that the Project’s improvements
conform to the Final Plans and Specifications.
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(c)
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A
“person” shall be construed as a reference to any
person, firm, company, corporation, government, state or agency of
a state or any association or partnership (whether or not having
separate legal personality), or two (2) or more of the
foregoing.
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(d)
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The terms
“include” and “including”
shall be construed as if followed by the phrase “without
limitation”.
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2.1
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Guaranteed
Obligations
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The Guarantor
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally covenants and undertakes to
cause the parties named in this Clause 2.1 to fully and timely
perform the following obligations (collectively, the
“Guaranteed Obligations”):
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(a)
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the Project
Company shall develop, construct and sell (including effecting
pre-sales), or cause to be developed, constructed and sold, the
Project and its residential units in accordance with the relevant
milestones and time periods set forth in the Approved Budget and
Business Plan;
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(b)
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New Land shall
fund or otherwise provide the Funded Pre-Construction Costs to the
Project Company in accordance with the Framework Agreement, the
Approved Budget and Business Plan and the Joint Venture
Agreement;
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(c)
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the Project
Company shall cause the Project to be Completed for an Aggregate
Development Cost that does not exceed the equivalent amount or
amounts specified in the Approved Budget and Business Plan (as
adjusted or otherwise amended by the respective board of directors
of the HK SPV and the Project Company pursuant to the
Shareholders’ Agreement and/or the Joint Venture Agreement,
as applicable, the “Budgeted Development
Costs”);
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3
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(d)
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if the Class A
Shareholders exercise the Put Option under the Shareholders
Agreement, CHL SPV (or any Class B Shareholders succeeding to CHL
SPV’s interest in the HK SPV) shall timely purchase, or cause
another affiliate of the Guarantor to purchase, from the Class A
Shareholders all of the Class A Shares for the Exit Price, pay the
Exit Price and timely perform its other covenants and obligations
under the Shareholders Agreement in connection with such
purchase;
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(e)
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the Project
Company shall, and the CHL SPV (or any Class B Shareholders
succeeding to the CHL SPV’s interest in the HK SPV) shall
cause the Project Company to, distribute the profits of the Project
Company to the HK SPV strictly in accordance with the provisions of
the Joint Venture Agreement and the Project Company Articles of
Association;
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(f)
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The HK SPV
shall, and the CHL SPV (or any Class B Shareholders succeeding to
the CHL SPV’s interest in the HK SPV) shall cause the HK SPV
to, distribute the profits of the HK SPV to the Class A
Shareholders strictly in accordance with the provisions of the
Shareholders Agreement; and
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(g)
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the CHL SPV (or
any Class B Shareholders succeeding to the CHL SPV’s interest
in the HK SPV) shall cause the officers and directors of the HK SPV
and the Project Company appointed by, or appointed in the direction
of, the CHL SPV (or any Class B Shareholders succeeding to the CHL
SPV’s interest in the HK SPV) to take such actions and
execution such documents and instruments to effect the
distributions referred to in sub-sections (e) and (f)
above.
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(a)
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The Guarantor
acknowledges that if the Guaranteed Obligations are not fully
performed as provided in Clause 2.1 by the Obligors, then the
Guarantor personally shall perform the Guaranteed Obligations, or
cause the Guaranteed Obligations to be performed. If the Guarantor
fails to timely and fully perform its obligations under this Deed
within the time period designated by any Beneficiary in its sole
discretion after such Beneficiary delivers a written notice to the
Guarantor, then the following shall apply:
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(i)
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Any Beneficiary
shall be at liberty to apply to an arbitration panel in accordance
with Clause 20.1 below for a mandatory order declaring the
Guarantor to be liable as aforesaid and ordering it to specifically
perform its contractual obligations hereunder.
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(ii)
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If the
Aggregate Development Costs exceed the Budgeted Development Costs,
such excess shall be paid by the Guarantor or its subsidiaries to
the HK SPV or the Project Company (at the direction of Prax in its
sole discretion) upon demand by any Beneficiary.
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(iii)
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If by reason of
the Guarantor’s failure, neglect or refusal to perform, or
cause to be performed, the Guaranteed Obligations and its other
obligations under this Deed, any Beneficiary elects to incur
expenses
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4
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whether by
making payment to the Project Company, the HK SPV or to any other
parties to ensure Completion of the Project following a breach by
the Guarantor of its obligations hereunder, such expenses shall
forthwith be recoverable from the Guarantor as damages.
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(iv)
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The
Beneficiaries shall be at liberty to claim damages from the
Guarantor either by way of primary remedy (without seeking a
mandatory order as aforesaid) or (in case any Beneficiary does seek
a mandatory order as aforesaid but the courts shall decline to make
such order) as an alternative to a mandatory order.
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If any payment
by any Obligor is avoided or reduced (the “Reduced
Amount”) for any reason including, without limitation, as
a result of insolvency, bankruptcy, breach of fiduciary or
statutory duties or any similar event with respect to any
person:
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(a)
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the liability
of the Guarantor shall continue and/or be reinstated, as
applicable, as if the payment, discharge, avoidance or reduction of
the Reduced Amount had not occurred; and
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(b)
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the
Beneficiaries shall be entitled to recover the value or amount of
that payment from the applicable Obligor and the Guarantor, if the
payment is a payment the Guarantor is required to tender hereunder,
as if the payment, discharge, avoidance or reduction of the Reduced
Amount had not occurred.
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4.
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NATURE OF
GUARANTEE AND WAIVER OF DEFENCES
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This Deed shall
be, and will at all time hereafter, be a continuing guarantee. It
shall not be revoked by the Guarantor and, subject to the
provisions of Clauses 3.2 and 3.3 above, shall remain effective
until a Discharge Event has occurred, as reasonably determined by
the Beneficiaries. The fact that at any time or from time to time
the obligations under this Deed may be increased or reduced shall
not release or discharge the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder
to the Beneficiaries.
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The obligations
of the Guarantor hereunder are in addition to, and are independent
of and shall not be in any way prejudiced by, any other indemnity,
guarantee or security now or subsequently held by any Beneficiaries
in respect of the transactions contemplated under the Framework
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
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5
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4.3
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Protective
Provisions
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This Deed is an
independent, irrevocable, absolute and continuing guarantee against
non-payment and non-performance and not a guaranty of collection.
Neither the liability of the Guarantor nor the validity or enforce
ability of this Deed shall be prejudiced, affected or discharged
by, and the Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any defences it may
now or hereafter have in any way relating to, any of the
following:
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(a)
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the granting of
any time, indulgence, concession, compromise, waiver or consent
whatsoever at any time given to any Obligor or any other
person;
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(b)
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any amendment,
modification or variation of any Transaction Document or any other
agreement;
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(c)
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any change in
the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of,
the Transaction Document or any other amendment or waiver of or
consent to any departure from any Transaction Document (other than
this Deed);
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(d)
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the illegality,
invalidity or unenforceability of any obligation or liability of
any Obligor or any other person;
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(e)
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the invalidity
or irregularity in the execution of any Transaction Document or any
other agreement;
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(f)
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any lack of or
deficiency in the powers of any Obligor or any other person to
enter into or perform any of its obligations or liabilities under
any Transaction Document or any other agreement or any irregularity
in the exercise thereof or any lack of or deficiency in authority
by any person purporting to act on behalf of any Obligor or any
other person;
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(g)
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the insolvency,
liquidation, incapacity, disability, limitation, change of
constitution or status, death, or bankruptcy of any Obligor or any
other person;
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(h)
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any other
Transaction Document, indemnity, guarantee or other security or
right or remedy being or becoming held by or available to the
Beneficiaries, or by any of the same being or becoming wholly or
partly void, voidable, unenforceable or impaired, or by the
Beneficiaries at any time exercising or failing to exercise,
releasing, refraining from enforcing, varying or in any other way
dealing with any of the same, or any power, right, remedy or
security the Beneficiaries may now or hereafter have from or
against any Obligor or any other person;
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(i)
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any release,
waiver, exercise, omission to exercise or renewal of any rights
against any Obligor or any other person or any compromise,
arrangement or settlement with any of the same;
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(j)
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any change,
restructuring or termination of the company or corporate structure
or existence of any Obligor or any other person;
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6
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(k)
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any defence
based on applicable statutes of limitations, or any existence or
reliance on any representation by the Beneficiaries, or any other
circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defence available
to, or a discharge of any Obligor or any other person;
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(1)
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any failure of
the Beneficiaries to disclose to the Guarantor or any other person
any information relating to the financial condition, operations,
properties or prospects of any Obligor or any person now or in the
future known to the Beneficiaries (the Guarantor waiving any duty
on the part of any Beneficiary to disclose such information);
and/or
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(m)
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any act,
omission, matter, circumstance or event which would or may, but for
the provisions of this Clause 4.3, operate to impair, prejudice,
discharge or otherwise affect this Deed or the obligations or
liabilities of the Guarantor hereunder.
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4.4
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Additional
Waivers of Defences
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(a)
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The Guarantor
further waives for the benefit of the Beneficiaries:
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(i)
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any right to
require the Beneficiaries to proceed against any Obligor or to
pursue any other remedy in its powers;
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(ii)
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any defence
based on any statute or rule of law which provides that the
obligation of a surety must be neither larger in amount nor in any
other aspects more burdensome than that of a principal;
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(iii)
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demands,
presentments, protests and notices of any kind (except for notices
expressly required to be given under this Deed), including, without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, notice of the existence,
creation or incurring of new or additional indebtedness or of any
action or non-action on the part of any Obligor under the
Transaction Documents or any other instrument, or any other person
whosoever, in connection with any obligation or evidence of
indebtedness held by the Beneficiaries under the Transaction
Documents;
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(iv)
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any right of
subrogation and any right to enforce any remedy which any
Beneficiary now has or may hereafter have against any Obligor and
any benefit of, and any right to participate in, any security now
or hereafter held by the Beneficiaries; provided, however, the
Guarantor’s right of subrogation against the Obligors shall
be re-instated after the Guaranteed Obligations have been fully
performed and the Guarantor’s obligations under this Deed
have been fully performed; and
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(v)
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to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable Laws, any defences or benefits that
may be derived from or afforded by any principles or provisions of
law, statutory or otherwis
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