Participation Agreement (Fidelity)

EXHIBIT (8)(i)

PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Between
ML LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK,
And
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION

THIS AGREEMENT, dated as of the 11^th day of October 2002, by and among ML Life Insurance Company of New York (the “Company”), a New York life insurance company, on its own behalf and on behalf of each segregated asset account of the Company set forth on Schedule A hereto as may be amended from time to time (hereinafter referred to individually and collectively as the “Account”), and Fidelity Distributors Corporation (the “Underwriter”), a Massachusetts corporation.

WHEREAS, Underwriter is the principal underwriter for each mutual fund listed on Exhibit B, (each hereinafter referred to as “the Fund”), each of which a series of an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”) and shares of the Funds are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”);

WHEREAS, the Underwriter, which serves as distributor to the Funds, is registered as a broker-dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and is a member in good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”);

WHEREAS, the Account is duly established and maintained as a segregated asset account, duly established by the Company, on the date shown for such Account on Schedule A hereto, to set aside and invest assets attributable to variable annuity contracts set forth in Schedule A hereto, as it may be amended from time to time by mutual written agreement (the “Contracts”);

WHEREAS, each Fund issues shares to the general public and to the separate accounts of insurance companies (“Participating Insurance Companies”) to fund variable annuity contracts sold to certain qualified pension and retirement plans;

WHEREAS, the Company intends to purchase shares of other open-end management investment companies that offer shares to the general public to fund the Contracts;

WHEREAS, the Underwriter knows of no reason why shares in any Fund may not be sold to Participating Insurance Companies to fund variable annuity contracts sold to certain qualified pension and retirement plans; and

WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Funds (and classes thereof) listed in Schedule B hereto, as it may be amended from time to time by mutual written agreement (the “Designated Funds”) on behalf of the Account to fund the aforesaid Contracts, and the Underwriter is authorized to sell such shares in the Designated Funds, and classes thereof, to the Account at net asset value.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company, and the Underwriter agree as follows:

ARTICLE I. Sale of Fund Shares

1.1. The Fund has granted to the Underwriter exclusive authority to distribute the Fund’s shares (the “Shares”). Pursuant to such authority and instructions, and subject to Article IX hereof, the Underwriter agrees to make the Shares available to the Company for purchase on behalf of the Account, such purchases to be effected at net asset value in accordance with Section 1.3 of this Agreement, provided that the Company qualifies for any sales load waiver described in the then current Fund prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) may suspend or terminate the offering of Shares of any Designated Fund or class thereof, if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or if, in the sole discretion of the Board acting in good faith and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, suspension or termination is necessary in the best interests of the shareholders of such Designated Fund.

1.2. The Fund shall redeem, at the Company’s request, any full or fractional Shares held by the Company on behalf of the Account, such redemptions to be effected at net asset value in accordance with Section 1.3 of this Agreement, provided that the Company qualifies for any sales load waiver described in the then current Fund prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Company shall not redeem Shares attributable to Contract owners except in the circumstances permitted in Section 9.3 of this Agreement, and (ii) the Fund may delay redemption of Shares of any Designated Fund to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, and any rules, regulations, or orders thereunder.

1.3. Purchase and Redemption Procedures

The parties, or their authorized affiliates, have previously entered into an Agency Trading Agreement (“ATA”) dated as of March 30, 1999, a copy of which is attached hereto for reference as Schedule D, and the parties mutually agree that the ATA, as amended from time to time, shall apply to purchase and redemption transactions covered by this Agreement. In addition, this Agreement is not intended to affect any operating processes or procedures employed by the parties from time to time in connection with the ATA.

1.4. The Distributor or its affiliates on behalf of the Fund shall furnish notice (by wire or telephone followed by written confirmation) to the Company as soon as reasonably practicable

of any income dividends or capital gain distributions payable on any Shares. The Company, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account, hereby elects to receive all such dividends and distributions as are payable on any Shares in the form of additional Shares of that Designated Fund. The Company reserves the right, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account, to revoke this election and to receive all such dividends and capital gain distributions in cash. The Distributor or its affiliates on behalf of the Fund shall notify the Company promptly of the number of Shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions.

1.6. Issuance and transfer of Shares shall be by book entry only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Account. Purchase and redemption orders for Fund shares shall be recorded in an appropriate ledger for the Account or the appropriate subaccount of the Account.

1.7. In the event of a change in a Fund CUSIP number, the parties will follow the same notification and operations procedures agreed to and used by the Underwriter and the Company’s brokerage affiliates with regard to mutual fund CUSIP number changes.

1.8. The parties hereto acknowledge that the arrangement contemplated by this Agreement is not exclusive; the Fund’s shares may be sold to other investors and the cash value of the Contracts may be invested in other investment companies.

ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties

2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts (a) are, or prior to issuance will be, registered under the 1933 Act, or (b) are not registered because they are properly exempt from registration under the 1933 Act or will be offered exclusively in transactions that are properly exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. The Company further represents and warrants that the Contracts will be issued and sold in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal securities and state securities and insurance laws and that the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material respects with state insurance suitability requirements. The Company further represents and warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized and in good standing under applicable law, that it has legally and validly established the Account prior to any issuance or sale thereof as a segregated asset account under New York insurance laws, and that it (a) has registered or, prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will register the Account as a unit investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a segregated investment account for the Contracts, or alternatively (b) has not registered the Account in proper reliance upon an exclusion from registration under the 1940 Act. The Company shall register and qualify the Contracts or interests therein as securities in accordance with the laws of the various states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Company.

2.2. The Underwriter represents and warrants that during the term of this Agreement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for issuance and sold in compliance with applicable state and federal securities laws and that the Fund is and shall remain registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund shall register and qualify the

shares for sale in accordance with the laws of the various states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund, the Adviser, or the Underwriter.

2.3. The Underwriter makes no representation as to whether any aspect of any Fund’s operations (including but not limited to, fees and expenses and investment policies) complies with the insurance laws or regulations of the various states. Underwriter, on behalf of the Fund, agrees to cooperate with the Company to enable it to comply with any applicable state insurance laws or regulations (including the furnishing of information not otherwise available to the Company to obtain the authority needed to issue the Contracts in any applicable state, and including cooperating with the Company in any filings of sales literature for the Contracts), as reasonably requested in writing by the Company.

2.4. The Underwriter represents and warrants that it is a member in good standing of the NASD and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC. The Underwriter further represents that it will sell and distribute the Fund shares in accordance with any applicable state and federal securities laws.

2.5. The Company and the Underwriter, on behalf of the Fund, represent and warrant that all of their trustees/directors, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals or entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund in an amount not less than the minimum coverage as required currently by Rule 17g-l of the 1940 Act or related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time. The aforesaid bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding company.

ARTICLE III. Prospectuses and Proxy Statements; Voting

3.1. The parties, or their authorized affiliates, have previously entered into a Selling Dealer Agreement (“SDA”) dated January 2, 1997, attached hereto for reference as Schedule E, and the parties mutually agree that the SDA and ATA, as amended from time to time, shall apply to the printing and distribution of Fund prospectuses and to the printing and solicitation of Fund proxies, except as otherwise provided herein.

3.2 The Company shall also be responsible for compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the SEC, the 1940 Act, or state insurance or securities laws, regarding Fund proxy voting by insurance company separate accounts or variable insurance contract owners, including without limitation any pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners that may be required.

ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information

4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Underwriter, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material that the Company develops and in which a Fund (or a Designated Portfolio thereof) or the Adviser or the Underwriter is named or describes

a Fund or the Underwriter. The parties understand and agree that the Underwriter has reviewed and approved a description of Fund(s) for use in the initial Contract prospectus and initial Contract rollout sales materials. The Underwriter will be deemed to have approved such sales literature or promotional material unless the Underwriter objects or provides comments to the Company within ten (10) Business Days after receipt of such material.

4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund or the Adviser or the Underwriter in connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or representations contained in the registration statement or profiles or prospectus or SAI for the Fund shares, as such registration statement and profiles and prospectus or SAI may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund or its designee or by the Underwriter, except with the permission of the Fund or the Underwriter or the designee of either.

4.3. The Fund and the Underwriter, or their designee, shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Company, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material that it develops and in which the Company, and/or its Account, is named. No such material shall be used until approved by the Company. The Company will be deemed to have approved such sales literature or promotional material unless the Company objects or provides comments to the Fund, the Underwriter, or their designee within ten Business Days after receipt of such material. The Company reserves the right to reasonably object to the continued use of any such sales literature or other promotional material in which the Company and/or its Account is named, and no such material shall be used if the Company so objects.

4.4. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not give any information or make any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, the Account, or the Contracts other than the information or representations contained in a registration statement and prospectus (which shall include an offering memorandum, if any, if the Contracts issued by the Company or interests therein are not registered under the 1933 Act), or SAI for the Contracts, as such registration statement, prospectus, or SAI may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in published reports for the Account which are in the public domain or approved by the Company for distribution to Contract owners, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the Company or its designee, except with the permission of the Company.

4.5. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of all registration statements, prospectuses (which shall include an offering memorandum, if any, if the Contracts issued by the Company or interests therein are not registered under the 1933 Act), SAIs, reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature and other promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that relate to the Contracts or the Account, promptly after the filing of such document(s) with the SEC or other regulatory authorities. The Company shall provide to the Fund and the Underwriter any complaints received from the Contract owners pertaining to the Fund or the Designated Fund.

4.6. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase “sales literature and other promotional materials” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following that refer to the Fund or any affiliate of the Fund: advertisements (such as material published, or designed for use in, a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape display, signs or billboards, motion pictures, or other public media), sales literature (i.e., any written communication distributed or made generally available to customers or the public, including brochures, circulars, reports, market letters, form letters, seminar texts, reprints or excerpts of any other advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or training materials or other communications distributed or made generally available to some or all agents or employees, and registration statements, prospectuses, SAIs, shareholder reports, proxy materials, and any other communications distributed or made generally available with regard to the Fund.

ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses

5.1. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Agency Trading Agreement and Selling Dealer Agreement, attached hereto for reference as Schedules D and E respectively, as amended from time to time by the parties, shall govern the fees and expenses borne by the parties or their affiliates hereunder. Each Fund shall bear the expenses for the cost of registration and qualification of its shares, preparation and filing of its prospectus and registration statement, proxy materials and reports. The Underwriter shall pay no fee or other compensation to the Company under this Agreement, but nothing in this Agreement shall alter or affect any compensation arrangements under the Selling Dealer Agreement or other agreements between the parties or their affiliates. The Fund or the Underwriter shall bear the expenses for setting in type and printing the proxy materials and reports to shareholders (including the costs of printing a prospectus that constitutes an annual report), if and to the extent that the Company actually distributes the reports to and solicits proxy voting instructions from its Contract Owners.

5.2. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Fund’s prospectus to owners of Contracts issued by the Company and of distributing the Fund’s proxy materials and reports to such Contract owners.

ARTICLE VI. Diversification and Qualification

6.1. The Underwriter represents that each Fund is or will be qualified as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code, and that it will maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provisions) and that it will notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that it has ceased to so qualify or that it might not so qualify in the future.

ARTICLE VII. Indemnification

7.1. Indemnification By the Company

7.l(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and the Underwriter and each of its trustees/directors and officers, and each person, if any, who controls the Fund or the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or who is under common control with the Underwriter (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties” for purposes of this Section 7.1) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Company) or litigation (including legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements:

(i) arise out of or result from or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus (which shall include a written description of a Contract that is not registered under the 1933 Act), or SAI for the Contracts or contained in sales literature for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or result from or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund for use in the registration statement, prospectus or SAI for the Contracts or in the Contracts or sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or

(ii) arise out of or result from or are based upon statements or representations (other than statements or representations contained in the registration statement, prospectus, SAI, or sales literature of the Fund not supplied by the Company or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the Company or its agents or persons under the Company’s authorization or control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund Shares; or

(iii) arise out of or result from or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement, prospectus, SAI, or sales literature of the Fund or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Underwriter or Fund by or on behalf of the Company; or

(iv) arise out of or result from or are based upon of any material failure by the Company to provide the services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement (including a failure, whether unintentional or in good faith or otherwise, to comply with the qualification requirements specified in Section 2.1 of this Agreement); or

(v) arise out of or result from or are based upon any material breach of any representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or arise out of or result from or are based upon any other material breach of this Agreement by the Company;

as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 7.l(b) hereof.

7.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Company in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company of any such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought against an Indemnified Party, the Company shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense of such action. The Company also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After notice from the Company to such party of the Company’s election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Company will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.

7.1(c). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with the issuance or sale of the Fund shares or the Contracts or the operation of the Fund.

7.2. Indemnification by the Underwriter

7.2(a). The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties” for purposes of this Section 7.2) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Underwriter) or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements:

(i) arise out of or result from or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration statement or profile or prospectus or SAI or sales literature of the Fund (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or result from or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Underwriter or the Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the registration statement, profile, prospectus or SAI for the Fund or in sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or

(ii) arise out of or result from or are based upon of statements or representations (other than statements or representations contained in the registration statement, prospectus, SAI or sales literature for the Contracts not supplied by the Underwriter or persons under their control) or wrongful conduct of the Fund or the Underwriter or persons under their control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or

(iii) arise out of or result from or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement, prospectus, SAI or sales literature covering the Contracts, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund or the Underwriter; or

(iv) arise out of or result from or are based upon any failure by the Fund or the Underwriter to provide the services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement (including a failure of the Fund, whether unintentional or in good

faith or otherwise, to comply with the qualification requirements specified in Section 6.1 of this Agreement); or

(v) arise out of or result from or are based upon any material breach of any representation and/or warranty made by the Fund or the Underwriter in this Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the Fund or the Underwriter;

as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 7.2(b) hereof

7.2(b). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Underwriter in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Underwriter of any such claim shall not relieve the Underwriter from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Party, the Underwriter will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Underwriter also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After notice from the Underwriter to such party of the Underwriter’s election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Underwriter will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.

7.2(c). The Indemnified Party will promptly notify the Underwriter of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the operation of the Account.

ARTICLE VIII. Applicable Law

8.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

8.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934, and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including such exemptions from those statutes, rules, and regulations as the SEC may grant and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance therewith.

ARTICLE IX. Termination

9.1. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the first to occur of:

	(a)		termination by any party, for any reason with respect to some or all Designated Funds, by three (3) months advance written notice delivered to the other parties; or

	(b)		termination by the Company by written notice to the Underwriter based upon the Company’s determination that shares of the Fund are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of the Contracts; or

	(c)		termination by the Company by written notice to the Underwriter in the event any of the Shares are not registered, issued, or sold in accordance with applicable state and/or federal law or such law precludes the use of such Shares as the underlying investment media of the Contracts issued or to be issued by the Company; or

	(d)		termination by the Underwriter in the event that formal administrative proceedings are instituted against the Company by the NASD, the SEC, the Insurance Commissioner, or like official of any state or any other regulatory body regarding the Company’s duties under this Agreement or related to the sale of the Contracts, the operation of any Account, or the purchase of the Shares; provided, however, that the Underwriter determines in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that any such administrative proceedings will have a material adverse effect upon the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or

	(e)		termination by the Company in the event that formal administrative proceedings are instituted against the Fund or the Underwriter by the NASD, the SEC, or any state securities or insurance department, or any other regulatory body; provided, however, that the Company determines in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that any such administrative proceedings will have a material adverse effect upon the ability of the Fund or the Underwriter to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or

	(f)		termination by the Company by written notice to the Underwriter with respect to any Designated Fund in the event that such Fund ceases to qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M as specified in Section 6.1 hereof, or if the Company reasonably believes that such Fund may fail to so qualify or comply; or

	(g)		termination by the Underwriter by written notice to the Company, if the Underwriter shall determine, in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that the Company has suffered a material adverse change in its business, operations, financial condition, or prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity; or

	(h)		termination by the Company by written notice to the Underwriter, if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that the Fund, the Adviser, or the Underwriter has suffered a material adverse change in its business, operations, financial condition, or prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity; or

	(i)		termination by the Company upon any substitution of the shares of another investment company or series thereof for Shares in accordance with the terms of the Contracts, provided that the Company has given at least 90 days prior written notice to the Fund and the Underwriter of the date of substitution.

9.2. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall, at the option of the Company, continue to make available additional Shares pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination of this Agreement (hereinafter referred to as “Existing Contracts”), unless the Underwriter requests that the Company seek an order pursuant to Section 26(c) of the 1940 Act to permit the substitution of other securities for the Shares. The Underwriter agree to split the cost of seeking such an order, and the Company agrees that it shall reasonably cooperate with the Underwriter and seek such an order upon request. Specifically, the owners of the Existing Contracts may be permitted to reallocate investments in the Fund, redeem investments in the Fund, and/or invest in the Fund upon the making of additional purchase payments under the existing Contracts (subject to any such election by the Underwriter). The parties agree that this Section 9.2 shall not apply to any terminations under Section 9.1(i) of this Agreement.

9.3. The Company shall not redeem Shares attributable to the Contracts (as opposed to Shares attributable to the Company’s assets held in the Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract owner initiated or approved transactions, (ii) as required by state and/or federal laws or regulations or judicial or other legal precedent of general application (hereinafter referred to as a “Legally Required Redemption”), (iii) upon 45 days prior written notice to the Fund and Underwriter, as permitted by an order of the SEC pursuant to Section 26(c) of the 1940 Act, but only if a substitution of other securities for the Shares is consistent with the terms of the Contracts, or (iv) as permitted under the terms of the Contract. Upon request, the Company will promptly furnish to the Fund and the Underwriter reasonable assurance that any redemption pursuant to clause (ii) above is a Legally Required Redemption. Furthermore, except in cases where permitted under the terms of the Contacts, the Company shall not prevent Contract owners from allocating payments to a Fund that was otherwise available under the Contracts without first giving the Fund or the Underwriter 45 days notice of its intention to do so.

9.4. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, each party’s obligation under Article VII to indemnify the other parties shall survive.

ARTICLE X. Notices

Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.


		If to the Company:		Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
				Senior Vice President and General Counsel
				ML Life Insurance Company of New York
				0 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000

		If to the Underwriter:		Fidelity Distributors Corporation
				00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
				Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
				Attention: Treasurer

ARTICLE XI. Miscellaneous

11.1. All persons dealing with any Fund must look solely to the property of the Fund, for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund. The parties agree that neither the Board, officers, agents, nor shareholders of any Fund assume any personal liability or responsibility for obligations entered into by or on behalf of the Fund.

11.2. Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory authority, each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses of the owners of the Contracts and all information reasonably identified as confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted by this Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize such names and addresses and other confidential information without the express written consent of the affected party until such time as such information has come into the public domain.

11.3. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

11.4. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

11.5. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall not be affected thereby.

11.6. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the SEC, the NASD, and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, each party hereto further agrees to furnish the New York Insurance Commissioner with any information or reports in connection with services provided under this Agreement which such Commissioner may request in order to ascertain whether the variable contract operations of the Company are being conducted in a manner consistent with the New York variable annuity laws and regulations and any other applicable law or regulations.

11.7. The rights, remedies, and obligations contained in this Agreement are cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies, and obligations, at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and federal laws.

11.8. This Agreement or any of the rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of all parties hereto.

11.9. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Distributor or its designee copies of the following reports:

	(a)		the Company’s annual statement (prepared under statutory accounting principles) and annual report (prepared under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)), as soon as practical and in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year;

	(b)		the Company’s quarterly statements (statutory and GAAP), as soon as practical and in any event within 45 days after the end of each quarterly period;

	(c)		any financial statement, proxy statement, notice or report of the Company sent to stockholders and/ or policyholders, as soon as practical after the delivery thereof to stockholders;

	(d)		any registration statement (without exhibits) and financial reports of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state insurance regulator, as soon as practical after the filing thereof;

	(e)		any other nonconfidential report submitted to the Company by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Company, as soon as practical after the receipt thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative and its seal to be hereunder affixed hereto as of the date specified below.

ML LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK:


By its authorized officer
By:	/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
	Name:	Xxxx X. Xxxxx
	Title:	Vice President & Secretary

FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION


By its authorized officer
By:	/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
	Name:	Don Holborn
	Title:	Executive Vice President

Schedule A

SEPARATE ACCOUNTS OF THE COMPANY
and CONTRACTS

Dated: October 11, 2002

Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Life Variable Annuity Separate Account D

Contract # MLNY-VA-006

Schedule B

DESIGNATED FUNDS AND CLASSES

Dated: October 11, 2002

Fidelity Advisor Equity Growth Fund, Class A
Fidelity Advisor Mid Cap Growth Fund, Class A
Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund, Class A

Schedule C

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Schedule D

See attached Agency Trading Agreement with Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated.

Schedule E

See attached Selling Dealer Agreement

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Table of Contents

Participation Agreement (Fidelity)

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