MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES Section 15.1. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called................77 Section 15.2. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.......................77 Section 15.3. Persons Entitled To Vote at Meetings.....................78 Section 15.4. Quorum; Action...........................................78
Meetings of Holders of Notes (1) The Fiscal Agent shall, on receipt of a written request of the Issuer or a written request signed in one or more counterparts by the beneficial holders of not less than 10% of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding and upon being indemnified to its satisfaction by the Issuer or the beneficial holders of Notes signing such request against the costs which may be incurred in connection with the calling and holding of such meeting, convene a meeting of the holders of Notes for any lawful purpose affecting their interests. If the Fiscal Agent fails to give notice convening such meeting within 30 days after receipt of such request and indemnity satisfactory to it, the Issuer or such beneficial holders of Notes, as the case may be, may convene such meeting. Every such meeting shall be held in New York or such other place as may be approved or determined by the Fiscal Agent.
(2) At least 21 days’ notice of any meeting shall be given to the holders of the Global Notes or Certificated Notes, as the case may be, in the manner provided pursuant to the provisions under “Notices” in the terms and conditions of the Notes, and a copy thereof shall be sent by post to the Fiscal Agent unless the meeting has been called by it, and to the Issuer, unless the meeting has been called by the Issuer. Such notice shall state the day, time, place and purpose of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted thereat, and shall include a statement to the effect that, prior to 48 hours prior to the time fixed for the meeting, (i) in the limited circumstances in which Certificated Notes have been issued, those holders of Certificated Notes who deposit such Notes with the Fiscal Agent, or any other person authorized for such purpose by the Fiscal Agent or the Issuer or (ii) in the case of Notes being represented by the Global Notes, those persons recorded in the Register, shall be entitled to obtain voting certificates for appointing proxies, but it shall not be necessary for any such notice to set out the terms of any resolution to be proposed at such meeting or any other provisions.
(3) A holder of Notes may appoint any person by instrument in writing as the holder’s proxy in respect of a meeting of the holders of Notes or any adjournment of such meeting, and such proxy shall have all rights of the holder of Notes in respect of such meeting. All notices of meetings to the holder of a Global Note shall contain a requirement that the Clearing Systems must notify Clearing Systems participants and, if known, owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes of the meeting in accordance with procedures established from time to time by the Clearing Systems. The registered holders of Notes shall seek voting instructions on the matters to be raised at such meeting from the Clearing Systems participants or, if known, from the owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes in accordance with the applicable procedure of the Clearing Systems. For greater certainty, it is acknowledged that none of the Issuer, the Fiscal Agent, any clearing agency or any intermediary or participant shall be required to comply with the time limits set out in the applicable procedure of the Clearing Systems but shall use all reasonable efforts to otherwise comply with such procedure and attempt to provide non-registered holders of the Notes with meeting materials and voting rights as if such non-registered holders of Notes were registered holders thereof.
(4) Some person, who need not be a holder of Notes, nominated in writing by the Fiscal Agent shall be chairman of the meeting and if no person is so nominated or if the person so nominated is not present within 15 minutes from the time fixed for the holding of the meeting, the holders of the Notes present in person or by proxy shall choose some person present to be chairman, and, failing such choice, the Issuer may appoint a chairman.
(5) At a meeting of holders of Notes, a quorum shall consist of two or more holders of Notes present in person or by proxy who represent at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding. If a quorum of the holders of Notes shall not be present within one-half hour after the time fixed for holding any meeting, the meeting, if convened by or at the request of holders of Notes, shall be dissolved, but if otherwise convened, the meeting shall stand adjourned without notice to the same day in the next week (unless such day is not a business day in the place where the meeting is to take place in which case it shall stand adjourned until the next such business day following thereafter) at the same time and place unless the chairman shall appoint some other place, day or time of which not less than seven days’ notice shall be given in the manner provided above. At any adjourned meeting called by the Issuer or the Fiscal Agent, two or more holders of Notes present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was originally convened notwithstanding that they may not represent at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding.
(6) The chairman of any meeting at which a quorum of the holders of Notes is present may, with the consent of the holder(s) of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented thereat, adjourn any such meeting and no notice of such adjournment need be given except such notice, if any, as the meeting may prescribe.
(7) Every motion or question submitted to a meeting shall be decided by Extraordinary Resolution (as hereinafter defined) and in the first place by the votes given on a show of hands. At any such meeting, unless a poll is duly demanded as herein provided, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously or by a particular majority or lost or not carried by a particular majority shall be conclusive of the fact. On any question submitted to a meeting when ordered by the chairman or demanded by a show of hands by one or more holders of Notes acting in person or by proxy and holding at least 2% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, a poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman shall direct.
(8) In a poll, each holder of Notes present in person or represented by a proxy duly appointed by an instrument in writing shall be entitled to one vote in respect of each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes then held by such holder. A proxy need not be a holder of Notes. In the case of Notes held jointly, any one of the joint holders present in person or by proxy may vote in the absence of the other or others; but in case more than one of them is present in person or by proxy, only one of them may vote in respect of each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes of which they are joint holders.
(9) The Issuer and the Fiscal Agent by their respective officers, directors and representatives, and the legal advisors of the Issuer and the Fiscal Agent may attend any meeting of the holders of Notes, but shall have no vote as such.
(10) Subject to Section 16 (Amendments), in addition to all other powers conferred upon them by any other provision of this Agreement or by law, holders of Notes at a meeting shall have the following powers, any one or combination of which may be exercised from time to time by Extraordinary Resolution:
(a) power to confirm any modification or amendment of this Agreement or the terms and conditions of the Notes proposed by the Issuer; provided that, to the extent that such modification or amendment may affect the rights, duties, protections, indemnities and immunities of the Fiscal Agent, the Issuer shall not propose such modification or amendment and such power shall not be exercised, without the prior written consent of the Fiscal Agent;
(b) power to exercise any power, right, remedy or authority given to it by this Agreement or the Notes in any manner specified in such Extraordinary Resolution or to refrain from exercising any such power, right, remedy or authority;
(c) power to waive any default on the part of the Issuer in complying with any provisions of this Agreement or the Notes or to waive future compliance with any provision or provisions of this Agreement or the Notes; and
(d) power to repeal, modify or amend any Extraordinary Resolution previously passed by the holders of Notes; provided, however, that no such modification nor amendment to this Agreement or to the terms and conditions of the Notes or any other action taken may, (a) without the consent of the holder of each such Note affected thereby: (i) change the stated maturity or interest payment date(s) of any such Note; (ii) reduce the principal amount of or rate of interest on any such Note; (iii) change the currency of payment of any such Note; (iv) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Note; (v) reduce the percentage of the holders of Notes necessary to modify or amend this Agreement or the terms and conditions of the Notes or reduce the percentage of votes required for the taking of action or the quorum required at any meeting of holders of Notes; or (vi) reduce the percentage of outstanding Notes necessary to waive any future compliance or past default; or (b) without the consent of the Fiscal Agent, alter the rights, duties, protections, indemnities or immunities of the Fiscal Agent.
(11) All actions that may be taken and all powers that may be exercised by the holders of Notes at a meeting held as hereinbefore provided may also be taken and exercised by the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding by an instrument in writing signed in one or more counterparts, and the expression “Extraordinary Resolution” when used in this Agreement shall include an instrument so signed.
(12) The term “Extraordinary Resolution” means a resolution proposed to be passed at a meeting of holders of the Notes duly convened for the purpose and held in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and passed by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented at the meeting in person or by proxy or as an instrument in writing signed by the holders of not less than 66 2/3% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.
Control by Holders of Securities The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that
(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,
(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(3) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.
Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,
(1) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and
(2) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder. In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearers Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
Consent of Securities Regulators to Amendment Except for amendments made under Part 3, the securities regulators with jurisdiction must approve any amendment to this Agreement and will apply mutual reliance principles in reviewing any amendments that are filed with them. Therefore, the consent of the Principal Regulator will evidence the consent of all securities regulators with jurisdiction.
Ratification and Incorporation of Original Indenture As supplemented hereby, the Original Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Original Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument.
Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Securityholders The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures affected (voting as one class) at the time outstanding shall have the right to direct the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to such Debentures; provided, however, that (subject to the provisions of Section 6.1) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee shall determine that the action so directed would be unjustly prejudicial to the holders not taking part in such direction or if the Trustee being advised by counsel determines that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time outstanding may on behalf of the holders of all of the Debentures waive (or modify any previously granted waiver of) any past default or Event of Default, and its consequences, except a default (a) in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Debentures, (b) in respect of covenants or provisions hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each Debenture affected, or (c) in respect of the covenants contained in Section 3.9; provided, however, that if the Debentures are held by the Trust or a trustee of such trust, such waiver or modification to such waiver shall not be effective until the holders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver or modification to such waiver, provided, further, that if the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debenture is required, such waiver shall not be effective until each holder of the Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver. Upon any such waiver, the default covered thereby shall be deemed to be cured for all purposes of this Indenture and the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Debentures shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Whenever any default or Event of Default hereunder shall have been waived as permitted by this Section, said default or Event of Default shall for all purposes of the Debentures and this Indenture be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing.
Modification of Indenture with Consent of Holders of Debt Securities The first paragraph of Section 9.02 of the Original Indenture is hereby amended and restated in its entirety, but only in relation to the Notes, as follows: “Without notice to any Holder but with the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 8.01) of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected by such supplemental Indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for any such series of Debt Securities), the Partnership and the Subsidiary Guarantors, when authorized by resolutions of the Board of Directors, and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an Indenture or Indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the TIA as in force at the date of execution thereof) for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Debt Securities of such series; provided, with respect to amending the Indenture as to matters that require the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of all Debt Securities of each series that would be affected by such amendment, the Notes and any Additional Notes shall vote together as a single class with any future series of the Partnership’s senior Debt Securities (unless otherwise provided in the prospectus relating to such future series of senior Debt Securities) and any other series of the Partnership’s senior Debt Securities then Outstanding which are entitled by their terms to vote on the amendment in question; provided further, that no such supplemental Indenture, without the consent of the Holders of each Debt Security so affected, shall: reduce the percentage in principal amount of Debt Securities of any series whose Holders must consent to an amendment; reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Debt Security; reduce the principal of or extend the Stated Maturity of any Debt Security; reduce any premium payable upon the redemption of any Debt Security or change the time at which any Debt Security may or shall be redeemed in accordance with Article III; make any Debt Security payable in currency other than the Dollar; impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of premium, if any, principal of and interest on such Holder’s Debt Securities on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Debt Securities; release any security that may have been granted in respect of the Debt Securities, other than in accordance with this Indenture; make any change in Section 6.06 or this Section 9.02; or, except as provided in Section 11.02(b) or Section 14.04, release the Subsidiary Guarantors other than as provided in this Indenture or modify the Guarantee in any manner adverse to the Holders.”
Lists of Holders of Securities (a) The Guarantor shall provide the Guarantee Trustee (i) except while the Capital Securities are represented by one or more Global Securities, at least two Business Days prior to the date for payment of Distributions, a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities (“List of Holders”) as of the record date relating to the payment of such Distributions, and (ii) at any other time, within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written request from the Guarantee Trustee for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before such List of Holders is given to the Guarantee Trustee; provided that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to the Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Guarantee Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information contained in Lists of Holders given to it, provided that the Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Securityholders Authorize Trustee to Effectuate Subordination of Securities Each Holder of Securities by its acceptance of them authorizes and expressly directs the Trustee on its behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, as between the holders of Senior Debt and the Holders of Securities, the subordination provided in this Article Ten, and appoints the Trustee its attorney-in-fact for such purposes, including, in the event of any dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of the Company (whether in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, reorganization or similar proceedings or upon an assignment for the benefit of credits or otherwise) tending towards liquidation of the business and assets of the Company, the filing of a claim for the unpaid balance of its Securities and accrued interest in the form required in those proceedings. If the Trustee does not file a proper claim or proof of debt in the form required in such proceeding prior to 30 days before the expiration of the time to file such claim or claims, then the holders of the Senior Debt or their Representative are or is hereby authorized to have the right to file and are or is hereby authorized to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders of said Securities. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee or the holders of Senior Debt or their Representative to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee or the holders of Senior Debt or their Representative to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
