EXHIBIT 10.6

                                                                  CONFORMED COPY



                                        EFFECTIVENESS   AGREEMENT  dated  as  of
                                        March  19,  1997  (this   "Effectiveness
                                        Agreement"),  among  UCAR  INTERNATIONAL
                                        INC., a Delaware  corporation  ("UCAR"),
                                        UCAR GLOBAL ENTERPRISES INC., a Delaware
                                        corporation   (the   "Borrower"),    the
                                        lenders  listed on  Schedule I hereto as
                                        Departing    Lenders   (the   "Departing
                                        Lenders"),   Continuing   Lenders   (the
                                        "Continuing   Lenders")  and  Additional
                                        Lenders (the "Additional  Lenders",  and
                                        collectively  with the Departing Lenders
                                        and   the   Continuing   Lenders,    the
                                        "Lenders"), the fronting banks listed on
                                        Schedule   I   hereto   (the   "Fronting
                                        Banks"),  and THE CHASE  MANHATTAN BANK,
                                        as  Administrative  Agent and Collateral
                                        Agent,  in each case  under  the  Credit
                                        Agreement (the "Credit Agreement") dated
                                        as  of  October  19,  1995,   among  the
                                        Borrower,   the   lenders   referred  to
                                        therein,   the   Fronting   Banks,   the
                                        Administrative Agent, and the Collateral
                                        Agent, as in effect on the date hereof.


          WHEREAS,  UCAR and the Borrower have requested,  and the Lenders,  the
Fronting Banks, the  Administrative  Agent and the Collateral Agent have agreed,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions  set forth herein,  that the Credit
Agreement be amended and restated as provided herein effective upon satisfaction
of the conditions set forth in Section 7 below;

          NOW, THEREFORE,  UCAR, the Borrower,  each of the Lenders, each of the
Fronting Banks, the  Administrative  Agent and the Collateral Agent hereby agree
as follows:

          SECTION 1.  DEFINED  TERMS.  Capitalized  terms  used but not  defined
herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the form of amended and
restated  Credit  Agreement  attached as Exhibit A hereto (the "Restated  Credit
Agreement").

          SECTION 2.  EFFECTIVENESS  DATE. (a) The transactions  provided for in
Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 hereof shall

be consummated at a closing (the "Closing") to be held on the Effectiveness Date
(as hereinafter  defined) at the offices of Cravath,  Swaine & Moore, or at such
other time and place as the parties shall agree.

          (b) The "Effectiveness  Date" shall be specified by the Borrower,  and
shall be a date not later than March 31,  1997,  as of which all the  conditions
set forth or  referred  to in Section 7 hereof  shall have been  satisfied.  The
Borrower shall give not less than one Business Day's written notice  proposing a
date as the Effectiveness  Date to the  Administrative  Agent,  which shall send
copies  of such  notice  to the  Lenders.  This  Effectiveness  Agreement  shall
terminate  at 5:00  p.m.,  New  York  City  time,  on  March  31,  1997,  if the
Effectiveness Date shall not have occurred at or prior to such time.

          SECTION 3.  AMENDMENT AND  RESTATEMENT  OF THE CREDIT  AGREEMENT.  The
Credit  Agreement  (including  all  Exhibits  and  Schedules  thereto) is hereby
amended and  restated,  effective as of the  Effectiveness  Date (subject to the
satisfaction  of the  conditions  set forth in Section 7 below),  to read in its
entirety  as set  forth  in  Exhibit  A  hereto,  and  each of the form of Local
Facility Credit Agreement  attached as Exhibit E to the Credit Agreement and the
form of Tranche A Letter of Credit attached as Exhibit I to the Credit Agreement
is hereby amended and restated,  effective as of the Effectiveness Date (subject
to the

                                      -1-


conditions  set forth in Section 7 below),  to read in its entirety as set forth
in Exhibit B hereto and in Exhibit C hereto, respectively. Each Exhibit referred
to in the  Restated  Credit  Agreement,  other than the forms of Local  Facility
Credit  Agreement  and the form of  Tranche A Letter  of  Credit,  shall  remain
unchanged.  As  used in the  Credit  Agreement,  the  terms  "Agreement",  "this
Agreement",  "herein",  "hereinafter",  "hereto",  "hereof" and words of similar
import shall, unless the context otherwise  requires,  mean the Credit Agreement
as amended and restated pursuant to this Effectiveness Agreement. As used in the
Loan Documents,  the term "Credit Agreement" shall, unless the context otherwise
requires,  mean the Credit  Agreement as amended and  restated  pursuant to this
Effectiveness Agreement.

          SECTION 4. DELIVERY OF NOTES. On or prior to the  Effectiveness  Date,
each  Lender  holding a Note shall  deliver  to the  Administrative  Agent,  for
delivery to and cancelation by the Borrower,  all Notes then held by such Lender
(collectively, the "Notes"). Each Lender holding a Note that fails so to deliver
any of its Notes hereby agrees to indemnify  the Borrower for any loss,  cost or
expense  resulting  from such failure.  Upon the  effectiveness  of the Restated
Credit Agreement,  the Administrative  Agent shall release and deliver the Notes
to the Borrower for cancelation.

          SECTION 5. FEES AND EXPENSES.  On the Effectiveness Date, on or before
the  effectiveness of the Restated Credit  Agreement,  the Borrower shall pay to
the  Administrative  Agent (a) for its own account,  all fees and other  amounts
owed to it as of the Effectiveness  Date, (b) for the account of each Lender (i)
the participation fee due such Lender on the Effectiveness Date, (ii) all unpaid
fees accrued to but  excluding  the  Effectiveness  Date for the account of such
Lender under  Section 2.05 of the Credit  Agreement,  (iii) all unpaid  interest
accrued to but excluding the Effectiveness  Date in respect of the Loans of such
Lender  outstanding  under the Credit  Agreement and (iv) any amount due to such
Lender  under  Section  2.15 of the  Credit  Agreement  in  connection  with the
refinancing  of  its  outstanding   Loans  as  a  result  of  the   transactions
contemplated  by Section 6(b) below,  (c) for the account of each Fronting Bank,
all unpaid fees accrued to but excluding the Effectiveness  Date for the account
of such Fronting Bank under Section 2.05 of the Credit Agreement and (d) for the
account  of each  applicable  payee,  all  expenses  due and  payable  under the
Restated Credit Agreement on or before the Effectiveness Date in connection with
the Loan  Documents  to be  delivered on the  Effectiveness  Date or  otherwise,
including,  without  limitation,  the reasonable  fees and expenses  accrued and
invoiced through the Effectiveness Date of Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

          SECTION 6. TERM  BORROWINGS;  TRANCHE A LETTERS OF CREDIT.  (a) On the
Effectiveness  Date, upon the effectiveness of the Restated Credit Agreement and
subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and therein, the Additional
Lenders and Continuing  Lenders  having  Commitments  under the Restated  Credit
Agreement shall make, and the Borrower shall borrow, (i) Tranche A Term Loans in
the  amount of the  Tranche A Term Loan  Commitments  of such  Lenders  and (ii)
Tranche B Term Loans in the  amount of the  Tranche B Term Loan  Commitments  of
such Lenders.  All such Loans on the  Effectiveness  Date shall initially be ABR
Loans.

          (b) On the Effectiveness  Date, upon the effectiveness of the Restated
Credit Agreement and subject to the conditions set forth herein and therein, the
Borrower  shall use the  proceeds of the Loans made  pursuant to  paragraph  (a)
above  to  repay  all the  Term  Loans  outstanding  on the  Effectiveness  Date
immediately  prior to the  effectiveness  of the Restated Credit  Agreement (the
"Outstanding  Loans").  Concurrently  with such  repayment  of Term  Loans,  the
Departing Lenders shall cease to be parties to the Credit Agreement and shall be
released  from all  further  obligations  thereunder  and shall  have no further
rights to or  interest in any of the  Collateral;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that the
Departing  Lenders  shall  continue to be entitled to the  benefits of all yield
protection,  expense  reimbursement  and indemnity  provisions  contained in the
Credit  Agreement  as in  effect  immediately  prior to the  Closing  and  shall
continue  to be bound by Section  9.17 of the Credit  Agreement  as in effect at
such time.

          (c) On the Effectiveness  Date, upon the effectiveness of the Restated
Credit Agreement (i) each Additional  Lender and each Continuing  Lender that is
making  Loans  pursuant to paragraph  (a) above shall pay to the  Administrative
Agent by wire transfer of immediately available funds not later than 11:00 a.m.,
New York City time,  an amount  equal to the  amount of the Loans  being made by
such Lender  pursuant to paragraph (a) and (ii) the  Administrative  Agent shall
pay to each Departing Lender and to


                                      -2-



each  Continuing  Lender the amount of such Lender's  Outstanding  Loans by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to the account designated by such Lender
to the  Administrative  Agent not later than 5:00 p.m.,  New York City time. The
Borrower  agrees that if any Lender  shall  default in the payment of any amount
due from it under this Section 6, the Borrower  shall promptly pay the defaulted
amount to the  Administrative  Agent by wire transfer of  immediately  available
funds, together with interest on such amount at the Alternate Base Rate from the
Effectiveness  Date  to the  date of  payment.  Upon  any  such  payment  by the
Borrower, the Borrower shall have the right, at the defaulting Lender's expense,
upon notice to the defaulting Lender and to the Administrative Agent, to require
such  defaulting  Lender to transfer and assign without  recourse (in accordance
with and subject to the  restrictions  contained in Section 9.04 of the Restated
Credit  Agreement) all its interests,  rights and obligations under the Restated
Credit  Agreement  to another  financial  institution  which  shall  assume such
interests,  rights and  obligations;  PROVIDED that (A) no such assignment shall
conflict with any law, rule or regulation or order of any Governmental Authority
and  (B)  the  assignee  shall  pay to the  defaulting  Lender,  in  immediately
available funds on the date of such assignment, the outstanding principal of and
interest accrued to the date of payment on the Loans made or deemed made by such
defaulting  Lender under the Restated  Credit  Agreement,  if any, and all other
amounts  accrued for such  defaulting  Lender's  account or owed to it under the
Restated Credit Agreement.

          (d)  In  the  event  the  Borrower   shall   specify  a  date  as  the
Effectiveness  Date and the Effectiveness Date shall not occur on such date, the
Borrower shall  indemnify  each Lender for any loss or expense  incurred by such
Lender as a result of the  transactions to have been  consummated by such Lender
on such proposed  Effectiveness  Date,  in each case  determined as set forth in
Section  2.15 of the  Restated  Credit  Agreement  in respect of any  failure to
borrow or prepay any Loan.

          (e) On the Effectiveness  Date, upon the effectiveness of the Restated
Credit  Agreement  and subject to the  conditions  set forth herein and therein,
each  Fronting  Bank  having a Tranche A L/C  Commitment  shall  issue (or shall
permit to remain outstanding) the Tranche A Letters of Credit set forth opposite
its  name on  Schedule  2.20 to the  Restated  Credit  Agreement,  appropriately
completed, in each case for the account of the applicable Credit Party specified
on such Schedule 2.20.

          SECTION 7. CONDITIONS.  The consummation of the transactions set forth
in Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this  Effectiveness  Agreement  shall be subject to
the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

          (a) The Administrative Agent shall have received, on behalf of itself,
     the Lenders and the  Fronting  Banks,  a favorable  written  opinion of (i)
     Kelley Drye & Warren LLP,  counsel for UCAR, and In-House  Counsel of UCAR,
     collectively,  substantially  to the effect set forth in Exhibit  D-1,  and
     (ii) each local counsel listed on Schedule II hereto,  substantially to the
     effect set forth in Exhibit  D-2, in each case (A) dated the  Effectiveness
     Date, (B) addressed to the Fronting Banks,  the  Administrative  Agent, the
     Collateral  Agent and the  Lenders,  and (C)  covering  such other  matters
     relating to the Loan Documents and the  Transactions as the  Administrative
     Agent shall  reasonably  request,  and each of UCAR and the Borrower hereby
     instructs its counsel to deliver such opinions.

          (b) All legal matters  incident to this Agreement,  the borrowings and
     extensions  of credit  hereunder  and the  other  Loan  Documents  shall be
     reasonably  satisfactory to the Lenders, to the Fronting Banks, to Cravath,
     Swaine & Moore,  counsel for the Administrative  Agent, and, in the case of
     each  Local  Facility,  to  counsel  for the  Administrative  Agent  in the
     jurisdiction of such Local Facility.

          (c) The  Administrative  Agent shall have  received (i) in the case of
     each domestic Loan Party, each of the items referred to in clauses (A), (B)
     and (C) below and, in the case of each other Loan Party,  as  requested  by
     the Administrative Agent, the equivalent documentation


                                      -3-



in its jurisdiction of  organization:  (A) a copy of the certificate or articles
of  incorporation,  including  all  amendments  thereto,  of  each  Loan  Party,
certified  as of a recent  date by the  Secretary  of State of the  state of its
organization, and a certificate as to the good standing of each Loan Party as of
a recent date from such  Secretary of State;  (B) a certificate of the Secretary
or  Assistant  Secretary  of each Loan Party  dated the  Effectiveness  Date and
certifying (w) that attached  thereto is a true and complete copy of the by-laws
of such Loan Party as in effect on the Effectiveness Date and at all times since
a date immediately prior to the date of the resolutions  described in clause (x)
below, (x) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly
adopted by the Board of Directors of such Loan Party  authorizing the execution,
delivery and  performance  of the Loan Documents to which such person is a party
and, in the case of the Borrower and the other Credit  Parties,  the  borrowings
and issuances of Letters of Credit under the Restated  Credit  Agreement and the
borrowings under the Local Facility Credit Agreements, and that such resolutions
have not been  modified,  rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect,
(y) that the  certificate or articles of  incorporation  of such Loan Party have
not been  amended  since  the date of the last  amendment  thereto  shown on the
certificate of good standing  furnished pursuant to clause (A) above, and (z) as
to the  incumbency  and specimen  signature of each officer  executing  any Loan
Document or any other  document  delivered in  connection  herewith on behalf of
such Loan Party;  and (C) a certificate of another  officer as to the incumbency
and specimen  signature of the  Secretary or Assistant  Secretary  executing the
certificate pursuant to (B) above; and (ii) such other documents as the Lenders,
the Fronting  Banks,  Cravath,  Swaine & Moore,  counsel for the  Administrative
Agent,  or, in the case of any Local  Facility,  counsel for the  Administrative
Agent in the jurisdiction of such Local Facility, may reasonably request.

          (d) The Administrative  Agent shall have received a certificate of the
     Borrower, dated the Effectiveness Date and signed by a Financial Officer of
     and on behalf of the Borrower,  confirming  compliance  with the conditions
     precedent  set  forth  in  paragraphs  (b) and (c) of  Section  4.01 of the
     Restated Credit Agreement as of the Effectiveness Date.

          (e) The Administrative  Agent shall have received from the Borrower or
     the other Credit Parties, as applicable, all Fees and other amounts due and
     payable on or prior to the  Effectiveness  Date,  including,  to the extent
     invoiced,  reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket  expenses required
     to be  reimbursed  or paid by the  Borrower  or the  other  Credit  Parties
     hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

          (f) The Reaffirmation  Agreement in the form of Exhibit E hereto shall
     have been duly  executed by each of UCAR,  the Borrower and the  Subsidiary
     Guarantors,  shall have been delivered to the Collateral Agent and shall be
     in full force and  effect,  and each of the  Guarantee  Agreements  and the
     Indemnity,  Subrogation  and  Contribution  Agreement  shall remain in full
     force and effect.

          (g) The Pledge  Agreement  shall remain in full force and effect,  all
     the outstanding Capital Stock of the Borrower and each domestic Subsidiary,
     and 65% of the outstanding Capital Stock of each foreign Subsidiary (or, if
     less,  all such  Capital  Stock)  owned  directly  by the  Borrower  or any
     domestic Subsidiary, shall have been duly and validly pledged thereunder to
     the  Collateral  Agent for the ratable  benefit of the Secured  Parties and
     certificates   representing  such  shares,   accompanied  in  the  case  of
     certificated shares by instruments of transfer and stock powers endorsed in
     blank, shall be in the actual possession of the Collateral Agent.

          (h) Each  outstanding  Local Facility Credit Agreement shall have been
     amended  and  restated  in  substantially  the form of  Exhibit B with such
     changes therefrom as shall in the


                                      -4-



     judgment  of the  Administrative  Agent be  necessary  or  advisable  under
     applicable  law, the Credit Parties under the Local  Facilities  shall have
     made or continued  borrowings  in the amounts and  currencies  specified in
     Schedule  III  hereto and the  Administrative  Agent  shall  have  received
     evidence satisfactory to it of all the foregoing.

          (i) After giving effect to the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and
     under the Restated  Credit  Agreement to occur on the  Effectiveness  Date,
     UCAR,  the  Borrower  and  the  Subsidiaries   shall  have  outstanding  no
     Indebtedness  other  than  Loans  hereunder,  Indebtedness  under the Local
     Facilities,  the  Senior  Subordinated  Notes  and  Indebtedness  otherwise
     permitted under Section 6.01 of the Restated Credit Agreement.

          (j)  The  Lenders  shall  have  received  a  reasonably   satisfactory
     consolidated balance sheet of UCAR as of December 31, 1996, together with a
     certificate of the Borrower,  dated the Effectiveness  Date and signed by a
     Financial Officer of the Borrower, to the effect that such statement fairly
     presents the financial  position of UCAR, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries
     on a consolidated  basis in accordance  with GAAP, and the Lenders shall be
     reasonably   satisfied  that  such  balance  sheet  and  the   transactions
     contemplated hereby and thereby and the financing arrangements contemplated
     hereby are not materially  inconsistent with the information or projections
     and the financial  model delivered to the Lenders prior to the date hereof.
     The  Credit   Parties  shall  also  have  provided  such  other   financial
     information as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably have requested.

          (k) All requisite material  Governmental  Authorities and all material
     third  parties  shall  have  approved  or  consented  to  the  transactions
     contemplated hereby to the extent required.

          SECTION 8. EFFECTIVENESS;  COUNTERPARTS.  This Effectiveness Agreement
shall become effective when copies hereof which,  when taken together,  bear the
signatures  of each of the  parties  hereto  shall  have  been  received  by the
Administrative  Agent.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that,  notwithstanding
any provision of the Credit  Agreement to the contrary,  the  provisions of this
Effectiveness  Agreement and the Restated  Credit  Agreement  shall as among the
parties hereto be effective without regard to whether any Departing Lender shall
have executed this Effectiveness Agreement. This Effectiveness Agreement may not
be amended nor may any provision  hereof be waived except  pursuant to a writing
signed by the Borrower,  the  Administrative  Agent,  the Collateral  Agent, the
Fronting Banks and the Lenders. This Effectiveness  Agreement may be executed in
two or more counterparts,  each of which shall constitute an original but all of
which when taken together shall constitute but one contract.

          SECTION 9. NOTICES. All notices hereunder shall be given in accordance
with the provisions of Section 9.01 of the Restated Credit Agreement.

          SECTION  10.   APPLICABLE  LAW;   WAIVER  OF  JURY  TRIAL.   (A)  THIS
EFFECTIVENESS  AGREEMENT  SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH AND GOVERNED BY
THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

          (B) EACH PARTY  HERETO  HEREBY  AGREES AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 9.11 OF
THE RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT AS IF SUCH SECTION WERE SET FORTH IN FULL HEREIN.

          SECTION 11. SECURITY INTERESTS.  The Collateral Agent shall reasonably
promptly  after the  Effectiveness  Date take such  actions as are  necessary to
release  such Liens as  presently  exist  under any  Security  Document or Local
Facility Loan Document but will not be required to be in effect thereunder after
the Effectiveness Date. Each Lender hereby authorizes and directs the Collateral
Agent to take such actions and to


                                      -5-



execute any such documents as may be reasonably requested by the Borrower or any
other Credit Party,  and at the expense of the Borrower or such Credit Party, in
connection with the termination of such Liens.

          SECTION 12.  EXPENSES;  INDEMNITY.  The Borrower  hereby agrees as set
forth in Section  9.05 of the  Restated  Agreement  as if such  Section were set
forth in full herein.


                                   UCAR INTERNATIONAL INC.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ William P. Wiemels
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  William P. Wiemels
                                     Title: Vice President, Chief Financial
                                            Officer & Treasurer


                                   UCAR GLOBAL ENTERPRISES INC.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ William P. Wiemels
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  William P. Wiemels
                                     Title: Vice President, Chief Financial
                                     Officer & Treasurer


                                   UCAR HOLDINGS S.A.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ William P. Wiemels
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  William P. Wiemels
                                     Title: Attorney-in-Fact


                                   UCAR S.p.A.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ William P. Wiemels
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  William P. Wiemels
                                     Title: Attorney-in-Fact


                                   UCAR ELECTRODOS, S.L.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ William P. Wiemels
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  William P. Wiemels
                                     Title: Attorney-in-Fact


                                   UCAR INC.,

                                   by



                                      -6-



                                     /s/ Luke Higgins
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Luke Higgins
                                     Title: Financial Director


                                   UCAR MEXICANA S.A. de C.V.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ William P. Wiemels
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  William P. Wiemels
                                     Title: Attorney-in-Fact


                                   THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, individually
                                   and as Fronting Bank, Administrative Agent 
                                   and Collateral Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ James H. Ramage
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  James H. Ramage
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   ABN AMRO BANK, N.V., NEW YORK
                                   BRANCH, individually and as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ David Mandell
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  David Mandell
                                     Title: Group Vice President

                                   by
                                     /s/ David Stack
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  David Stack
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   AMSOUTH BANK OF ALABAMA,

                                   by
                                     /s/ John Hooker
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John Hooker
                                     Title: Commercial Banking Officer


                                   BANCA COMMERCIALE ITALIANA,
                                   NEW YORK BRANCH,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Charles Dougherty
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Charles Dougherty
                                     Title: Vice President



                                      -7-




                                   by
                                     /s/ T. Gallonetto
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  T. Gallonetto
                                     Title: Assistant Vice President


                                   BANK OF AMERICA ILLINOIS,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Nancy McGraw
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Nancy McGraw
                                     Title: Managing Director


                                   BANK OF NEW YORK, individually and as
                                   Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Nancy McEwen
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Nancy McEwen
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, individually and
                                   as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ J. R. Trimble
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  J. R. Trimble
                                     Title: Senior Relationship Manager


                                   THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI TRUST
                                   COMPANY, individually and as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Nicholas J. Campbell, Jr.
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Nicholas J. Campbell, Jr.
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   BANQUE FRANCAISE DU COMMERCE
                                   EXTERIEUR,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Frederick K. Kammler
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Frederick K. Kammler
                                     Title: Vice President



                                      -8-



                                   BANQUE NATIONALE DE PARIS,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Richard L. Sted
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Richard L. Sted
                                     Title: Senior Vice President

                                   by
                                     /s/ Sophie Revillard Kaufman
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Sophie Revillard Kaufman
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   BANQUE PARIBAS, individually and as
                                   Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ John J. McCormick, III
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John J. McCormick, III
                                     Title: Vice President

                                   by
                                     /s/ Mary T. Finnegan
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Mary T. Finnegan
                                     Title: Group Vice President


                                   BHF-BANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Linda Pace
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Linda Pace
                                     Title: Assistant Vice President

                                   by
                                     /s/ Paul Travers
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Paul Travers
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF
                                   COMMERCE, individually and as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Timothy E. Doyle
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Timothy E. Doyle
                                     Title: Managing Director




                                      -9-



                                   CORESTATES BANK, N.A.

                                   by
                                     /s/ Brian M. Haley
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Brian M. Haley
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   CREDIT AGRICOLE,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Craig Welch
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Craig Welch
                                     Title: First Vice President


                                   CREDIT LYONNAIS NEW YORK BRANCH,
                                   individually and as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Mary E. Collier
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Mary E. Collier
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   THE DAI-ICHI KANGYO BANK, LTD.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Ronald Wolinsky
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Ronald Wolinsky
                                     Title: Vice President & Group Leader


                                   FIRST AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Kathryn A. Brothers
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Kathryn A. Brothers
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Harvey H. Thayer, Jr.
                                     ------------------------------------    
                                     Name:  Harvey H. Thayer, Jr.
                                     Title: Director



                                      -10-



                                   FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK OF NORTH
                                   CAROLINA, individually and as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Henry R. Biedrzycki
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Henry R. Biedrzycki
                                     Title: Vice President

                                   by
                                     /s/ Henry R. Biedrzycki
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Henry R. Biedrzycki
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   FLEET NATIONAL BANK, individually and as
                                   Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Robert C. Rubino
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Robert C. Rubino
                                     Title:   Vice President


                                   GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL
                                   CORPORATION,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Michael McGonigle
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Michael McGonigle
                                     Title: Duly Authorized Signatory


                                   THE INDUSTRIAL BANK OF JAPAN,
                                   LIMITED, individually and as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Takuya Honjo
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Takuya Honjo
                                     Title: Senior Vice President


                                   KREDIETBANK N.V., NEW YORK BRANCH,

                                   by   
                                     /s/ Robert Snauffer
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Robert Snauffer
                                     Title: Vice President

                                   by
                                     /s/ Garling Lee
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Garling Lee
                                     Title: Assistant Treasurer



                                      -11-



                                   INSTITUTO BANCARIO SAN PAOLO DI
                                   TORINO SPA,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Robert S. Wurster
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Robert S. Wurster
                                     Title: First Vice President

                                   by
                                     /s/ William J. De Angelo
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  William J. De Angelo
                                     Title: First Vice President


                                   THE LONG-TERM CREDIT BANK OF JAPAN,
                                   LIMITED, NEW YORK BRANCH, individually
                                   and as Co-Agent,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Shuichi Tajima
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Shuichi Tajima
                                     Title: Deputy General Manager


                                   MELLON BANK, N.A.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Richard K. James
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Richard K. James
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   MERRILL LYNCH SENIOR FLOATING RATE
                                   FUND, INC.

                                   By
                                     /s/ John W. Fraser
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John W. Fraser
                                     Title: Authorized Signatory


                                   SENIOR HIGH INCOME PORTFOLIO, INC.

                                   By
                                     /s/ John W. Fraser
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John W. Fraser
                                     Title: Authorized Signatory



                                      -12-


                                   OCTAGON CREDIT INVESTORS LOAN
                                   PORTFOLIO (a unit of The Chase Manhattan
                                   Bank),

                                   by
                                     /s/ Joyce C. DeLucca
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Joyce C. DeLucca
                                     Title: Managing Director


                                   PNC BANK, National Association,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Lawrence W. Jacobs
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Lawrence W. Jacobs
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Russell M. Gibson
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Russell M. Gibson
                                     Title: Vice President and Deputy Manager


                                   THE SAKURA BANK, LTD.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Yoshikazu Nagura
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Yoshikazu Nagura
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   THE SANWA BANK, LIMITED -
                                   NEW YORK BRANCH,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Dominic J. Sorresso
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Dominic J. Sorresso
                                     Title: Vice President


                                   SOCIETE GENERALE,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Robert Petersen
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Robert Petersen
                                     Title: Vice President

                                   by



                                      -13-


                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:
                                     Title:


                                   THE SUMITOMO BANK, LTD.,

                                   by
                                     /s/ John C. Kissinger
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John C. Kissinger
                                     Title: Joint General Manager


                                   THE TOKAI BANK, LIMITED - NEW YORK
                                   BRANCH,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Kaoru Oda
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Kaoru Oda
                                     Title: Assistant General Manager


                                   THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY,

                                   by
                                     /s/ John W. Petchler
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John W. Petchler
                                     Title: Second Vice President


                                   THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY,

                                   by
                                     /s/ John W. Petchler
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John W. Petchler
                                     Title: Second Vice President


                                   THE TRAVELERS LIFE AND ANNUITY
                                   COMPANY,

                                   by
                                     /s/ John W. Petchler
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  John W. Petchler
                                     Title: Second Vice President



                                      -14-



                                   VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL PRIME
                                   RATE INCOME TRUST,

                                   by
                                     /s/ Kathleen A. Zarn
                                     ------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Kathleen A. Zarn



                                      -15-






                                                            SCHEDULE I

                                                 PARTICIPATING AND DEPARTING BANKS



                                                                                 

CONTINUING LENDERS
- ------------------

THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK                AMSOUTH BANK OF ALABAMA                        BANCA COMMERCIALE ITALIANA, NEW
                                                                                       YORK BRANCH

BANK OF AMERICA ILLINOIS                BANK OF NEW YORK                               THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI,           BANQUE FRANCAISE DU COMMERCE                   BANQUE PARIBAS
LTD., NEW YORK BRANCH                   EXTERIEUR

BHF-BANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT             CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE             CREDIT LYONNAIS NEW YORK BRANCH

THE DAI-ICHI KANGYO BANK, LTD.,         THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON              FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK OF NORTH
                                                                                       CAROLINA

FLEET NATIONAL BANK                     GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION           KREDIETBANK N.V., NEW YORK BRANCH

THE LONG-TERM CREDIT BANK OF            MERRILL LYNCH SENIOR FLOATING RATE             MERRILL LYNCH SENIOR HIGH INCOME
JAPAN, LIMITED, NEW YORK                FUND, INC.                                     PORTFOLIO
BRANCH

OCTAGON CREDIT INVESTOR LOAN            THE SAKURA BANK, LTD.                          THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY
PORTFOLIO

THE TRAVELERS INSURANCE                 THE TRAVELERS LIFE AND ANNUITY                 VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL PRIME
COMPANY                                 COMPANY                                        RATE INCOME TRUST



NEW LENDERS
- -----------

ABN AMRO BANK N.V., NEW YORK            BANQUE NATIONALE DE PARIS                      CORESTATES BANK, N.A.
BRANCH



                                                               -16-




CREDIT AGRICOLE                         FIRST AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK                   INSTITUTO BANCARIO SAN PAOLO DI
                                                                                       TORINO SPA

MELLON BANK, N.A.                       THE PNC BANK                                   ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND

THE SANWA BANK LIMITED NEW              SOCIETE GENERALE                               THE SUMITOMO BANK, LTD.
YORK BRANCH

THE TOKAI BANK, LIMITED - NEW
YORK BRANCH



DEPARTING LENDERS
- -----------------

Each Lender party to the Credit Agreeement and not a Continuing Lender.





                                                               -17-




                                   SCHEDULE II

                             Local Counsel Schedule
                             ----------------------

Canada:
Michael Harquail
Blake Cassels & Graydon
Commerce Court West
Toronto, Ontario
M5L1A9
Fax # 416-863-2653
Tel # 416-863-2929

Italy:
Alessandro Giuliani
Gianni, Origoni & Partners
885 Third Avenue
New York, NY
Fax # 212-826-2519
Tel # 212-826-2515

France:
Philippe Xavier-Bender
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Swiss Bank Tower
10 East 50th Street
New York, NY 10022
Fax # 212-644-1205
Tel #212-644-1201

Spain:
Fernando Perez de la Sota
Uria & Menendez
712 Fifth Avenue, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Fax # 212-801-3465
Tel # 212-801-3460



                                      -18-

                               


                                  Schedule III
                         To The Effectiveness Agreement




            COMPANY                                           BORROWINGS       
                                       
===========================================================================
1.    UCAR HOLDINGS S.A.                                    $130,600,000.00
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.    UCAR INC.                                              $19,900,000.00
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.    UCAR S.P.A.                                            $31,200,000.00
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.    UCAR ELECTRODOS S.L.                                   $32,300,000.00
===========================================================================
                                  


                                      -19-




                                                                       EXHIBIT B
                                                  TO THE EFFECTIVENESS AGREEMENT



                                    LOCAL FACILITY CREDIT  AGREEMENT dated as of
                           [DATE], among [BORROWER],  a [DESCRIBE BORROWER] (the
                           "Borrower"),  the  financial  institutions  listed on
                           Schedule   2.01  (the   "Lenders"),   and  THE  CHASE
                           MANHATTAN  BANK,  as  agent  (in such  capacity,  the
                           "Administrative Agent") for the Lenders.


          The Borrower has requested the Lenders to extend credit in the form of
Loans (such term and each other  capitalized  term used but not  defined  herein
having the meaning assigned to it in Article I) in an aggregate principal amount
at any time  outstanding  not in excess of $[AMOUNT] (or the  equivalent of such
amount in Local Currency).  The Loans will continue or replace existing loans of
the Lenders to the Borrower.

          The Lenders  are willing to extend such credit to the  Borrower on the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.  Accordingly,  the parties
hereto agree as follows:


ARTICLE I.  DEFINITIONS

          SECTION  1.01.  Defined  Terms.  All  capitalized  terms  used but not
defined  herein  shall have the  meanings  given  such terms in the U.S.  Credit
Agreement.  As used in this  Agreement,  the  following  terms  shall  have  the
meanings specified below:

          "ABR Borrowing" shall mean a Borrowing comprised of ABR Loans.

          "ABR Loan" shall mean any Loan bearing  interest at a rate  determined
by reference to the  Alternate  Base Rate in accordance  with the  provisions of
Article II.

          "Adjusted  LIBO  Rate"  shall  have the  meaning  given  such  term in
Schedule 2.06.1

          "Adjusted  Outstanding Principal Amount" shall mean the sum of (a) the
aggregate  outstanding principal amount of all Loans denominated in Dollars plus
the Interest Component in respect of such Loans and (b) the Dollar Equivalent of
the aggregate  outstanding  principal  amount of all Loans  denominated in Local
Currency plus the Foreign Currency Component in respect of such Loans.

          "Aggregate  Available  Amount"  shall  mean at any time the  aggregate
undrawn Stated Amounts under the Letters of Credit in effect at such time.

          "Alternate  Base  Rate"  shall  have the  meaning  given  such term in
Schedule  2.06.1/
               -



 -------- 

     1  Schedule  2.06  will  specify  applicable  pricing  conventions  in  the
jurisdiction of each Local Facility Credit Agreement.


                                      -20-



          "Applicable  Percentage"  shall  mean,  in the case of any  Lender,  a
fraction,  expressed  as a  decimal,  of  which  the  numerator  is equal to the
principal  amount (or, in the case of Loans  denominated in Local Currency,  the
Dollar  Equivalent of the  principal  amount) of the  outstanding  Loans of such
Lender and the denominator is equal to the principal  amount (or, in the case of
Loans  denominated  in Local  Currency,  the Dollar  Equivalent of the principal
amount) of all the outstanding Loans.

          "Assignment and Acceptance"  shall have the meaning given such term in
Section 9.04(b).

          "Borrowing"  shall mean a group of Loans of a single  Type made by the
Lenders on a single date and as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

          "Business  Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,  Sunday or a
day on which banks in [insert  principal  financial  center in  jurisdiction  of
Local Currency] are authorized or required by law to close;  provided,  however,
that when used in connection  with a Eurodollar  Loan,  the term  "Business Day"
shall also  exclude any day on which  banks are not open for  dealings in dollar
deposits in the London interbank market.

          "Calculation  Date" shall mean the last  Business Day of each calendar
month,  provided that at the request of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower
the Calculation Date may occur more frequently.

          "Closing Date" shall mean the date of the first Borrowing hereunder.

          "Default" shall mean any event or condition  which upon notice,  lapse
of time or both would constitute an Event of Default.

          "Dollar  Equivalent"  shall mean, on any date of  determination,  with
respect  to any  amount in Local  Currency,  the  equivalent  in Dollars of such
amount,  determined by the Administrative  Agent using the Exchange Rate then in
effect as determined pursuant to Section 1.03.

          "Dollars" or "$" shall mean United States dollars.

          "Eurocurrency   Borrowing"   shall  mean  a  Borrowing   comprised  of
Eurocurrency Loans.

          "Eurocurrency  Loan"  shall mean any Loan  bearing  interest at a rate
determined  by  reference  to the  Adjusted  LIBO  Rate in  accordance  with the
provisions of Article II.

          "Event of Default"  shall have the meaning  given such term in Article
VII.

          "Exchange  Rate" shall  mean,  with  respect to Local  Currency on any
date,  the rate at which Dollars may be exchanged  into Local  Currency,  as set
forth on such date on the  applicable  Reuters  currency page. In the event that
such rate does not appear on the applicable  Reuters currency page, the Exchange
Rate with respect to Local  Currency  shall be  determined  by reference to such
other publicly available service for displaying  exchange rates as may be agreed
upon by the  Administrative  Agent and the  Borrower  or, in the absence of such
agreement,  such Exchange Rate shall instead be the Administrative  Agent's spot
rate of  exchange  in the  London  interbank  market or other  market  where the
Administrative  Agent's foreign currency exchange operations in respect of Local
Currency are then being  conducted,  at or about 10:00 a.m., local time, on such
date for the purchase of Local  Currency  with Dollars for delivery two Business
Days later; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if at the time of any such



                                      -21-


determination,  for  any  reason,  no  such  spot  rate  is  being  quoted,  the
Administrative  Agent  may use any  reasonable  method it deems  appropriate  to
determine such rate, and such determination  shall be conclusive absent manifest
error.

          "Existing  Agreement"  shall mean  [identify  existing  local facility
credit agreement].

          "Exposure"  shall  mean  at any  time  the  sum of (a)  the  aggregate
outstanding  amount of the principal of, and all interest accrued but unpaid on,
the Loans  denominated  in Dollars,  (b) the Dollar  Equivalent of the aggregate
outstanding  amount of the principal of, and all interest accrued but unpaid on,
the  Loans  denominated  in Local  Currency  and (c) all other  obligations  and
liabilities of the Borrower to the Administrative  Agent or the Lenders then due
under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including any and all fees and,
to the extent invoiced, indemnities, costs, expenses or other amounts.

          "Foreign Currency Component" shall mean, with respect to the principal
amount of any Loan or Loans denominated in Local Currency,  an amount in Dollars
equal to 5.00% of the Dollar Equivalent of such amount.

          "Fronting  Bank"  shall  mean The  Chase  Manhattan  Bank or any other
person acting as Fronting Bank in respect of a Letter of Credit.

          "Global"  shall  mean  UCAR  Global   Enterprises   Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation.

          "Interest  Component" shall mean, with respect to the principal amount
of any Loan or Loans  denominated in Dollars,  an amount equal to 1.03333333333%
of such principal amount.

          "Interest   Payment  Date"  shall  mean,   (a)  with  respect  to  any
Eurocurrency  Loan,  the  last  day of the  Interest  Period  applicable  to the
Borrowing  of which  such  Loan is a part  and,  in the  case of a  Eurocurrency
Borrowing with an Interest  Period of more than one month's  duration,  each day
that would have been an Interest Payment Date had successive Interest Periods of
one month's  duration been applicable to such Borrowing,  and, in addition,  the
date of any  refinancing  or conversion of such Borrowing with or to a Borrowing
of a different  Type and (b) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last Business Day
of each month.

          "Interest  Period" shall mean as to any  Eurocurrency  Borrowing,  the
period  commencing  on the  date of such  Borrowing  or on the  last  day of the
immediately preceding Interest Period applicable to such Borrowing,  as the case
may be,  and ending on the  numerically  corresponding  day (or,  if there is no
numerically corresponding day, on the last day) in the calendar month that is 1,
2, 3 or 6 months  thereafter,  as the  Borrower  may  elect  and the  date  such
Borrowing is converted to a Borrowing  of a different  Type in  accordance  with
Section  2.10 or repaid or  prepaid in  accordance  with  Section  2.11 or 2.12;
provided,  however,  that if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a
Business  Day,  such  Interest  Period shall be extended to the next  succeeding
Business  Day unless such next  succeeding  Business  Day would fall in the next
calendar  month,  in which  case  such  Interest  Period  shall  end on the next
preceding  Business Day.  Interest shall accrue from and including the first day
of an Interest Period to but excluding the last day of such Interest Period.

          "L/C Disbursement"  shall mean a payment or disbursement by a Fronting
Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.



                                      -22-


          "Letter of Credit"  shall mean each letter of credit in  substantially
the form of  Exhibit A hereto  issued by a Fronting  Bank under the U.S.  Credit
Agreement for the benefit of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders.

          "Loan Documents" shall mean this Agreement,  the Letter of Credit, the
Notes and the Security Documents.

          "Loan Parties"  shall mean the Borrower,  Global and each Affiliate of
any of them that is party to any Loan Document.

          "Loans"  shall  mean the loans  made by the  Lenders  to the  Borrower
pursuant to Section 2.01. Each Loan shall be a Eurocurrency Loan or an ABR Loan.

          "Local  Currency" or "[insert symbol for local  currency]"  shall mean
[identify local currency].

          "Local Currency  Equivalent" shall mean, on any date of determination,
with respect to any amount in Dollars,  the equivalent in Local Currency of such
amount,  determined by the Administrative  Agent using the Exchange Rate then in
effect as determined pursuant to Section 1.03.

          "Maturity  Date"  shall mean the date that is the sixth  Business  Day
prior to December 31, 2001.

          "Note" shall mean any promissory  note of the Borrower issued pursuant
to this Agreement.

          "Parent  Guarantee  Agreement"  shall mean the Guarantee  Agreement of
Global,  substantially  in the form of Exhibit B, made by Global in favor of the
Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders.

          "Required  Lenders" shall mean, at any time, Lenders having Loans (or,
prior to the initial Borrowing hereunder,  committed to make Loans) representing
at  least  51% of the  sum of all  Loans  outstanding  at  such  time  (or to be
outstanding).

          "Reset Date" shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.03.

          "Responsible  Officer"  of any  corporation  shall mean any  executive
officer  or  Financial  Officer  of such  corporation  and any other  officer or
similar official thereof  responsible for the  administration of the obligations
of such corporation in respect of this Agreement.

          "Security  Documents"  shall mean the Parent  Guarantee  Agreement and
each  document set forth on Schedule 1.01 and each of the  guarantees,  security
agreements, mortgages and other instruments and documents executed and delivered
pursuant to any of the foregoing or pursuant to Section 5.11 of the U.S.  Credit
Agreement.

          "Standard Time" shall mean [SPECIFY APPLICABLE TIME ZONE].

          "Stated  Amount"  shall mean,  with respect to any Letter of Credit at
any time,  the Stated  Amount under (and as defined in) such Letter of Credit at
such time, as adjusted in accordance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

          "Subsidiary" shall mean any subsidiary of the Borrower.



                                      -23-


          "Testing Date" shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.03.

          "Transactions"  shall mean the execution,  delivery and performance by
the  Borrower  and  the  Subsidiaries  of  each of the  Loan  Documents  and the
borrowings  hereunder and the other transactions  contemplated hereby and by the
other Loan Documents.

          "Type", when used in respect of any Loan or Borrowing,  shall refer to
the  currency in which such Loan or  Borrowing  is  denominated  and the Rate by
reference  to  which  interest  on such  Loan or on the  Loans  comprising  such
Borrowing is determined.  For purposes hereof, "Rate" shall include the Adjusted
LIBO Rate and the Alternate Base Rate.

          "U.S.  Credit  Agreement"  shall mean the Credit Agreement dated as of
the date hereof among UCAR International Inc., UCAR Global Enterprises Inc., the
lenders named therein,  the fronting banks named therein and The Chase Manhattan
Bank, as administrative agent and collateral agent thereunder, which is attached
hereto as Exhibit D.

          SECTION 1.02. Terms  Generally.  The definitions in Section 1.01 shall
apply  equally  to both the  singular  and  plural  forms of the terms  defined.
Whenever the context may require,  any pronoun shall  include the  corresponding
masculine,  feminine  and neuter  forms.  The words  "include",  "includes"  and
"including"  shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase "without  limitation".
All references  herein to Articles,  Sections,  Exhibits and Schedules  shall be
deemed  references  to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and  Schedules to,
this Agreement unless the context shall otherwise  require.  Except as otherwise
expressly  provided herein, any reference in this Agreement to any Loan Document
shall  mean such  document  as  amended,  restated,  supplemented  or  otherwise
modified from time to time.

          SECTION 1.03. Currency Equivalents;  Currency Fluctuations.  Not later
than 1:00 p.m.,  Standard Time, on each  Calculation  Date,  the  Administrative
Agent shall (a) determine the Exchange Rate as of such  Calculation Date and (b)
give notice  thereof to the  Borrower  and the  Lenders.  The  Exchange  Rate so
determined  shall  become  effective  on  the  first  Business  Day  immediately
following  the relevant  Calculation  Date (each a "Reset  Date"),  shall remain
effective  until the next  succeeding  Reset Date and shall during the period of
its effectiveness be employed in making any computation of currency  equivalents
required to be made under this Agreement  (other than any  computation  required
under Article VII or Section 9.16). Not later than 10:00 a.m., Standard Time, on
the Closing  Date and on the date of each  prepayment  under  Section 2.12 (each
such date, a "Testing Date"), the  Administrative  Agent shall (i) determine the
Dollar  Equivalent,  based on the  Exchange  Rate in effect as  provided  in the
preceding  sentence,  of each Loan then outstanding that is denominated in Local
Currency  (after giving effect to any Loan made or repaid on such date) and (ii)
notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the results of such determination.

ARTICLE II.  THE CREDITS

          SECTION 2.01. Commitments. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions and
relying upon the  representations  and warranties  herein set forth, each Lender
agrees,  severally and not jointly, on the Closing Date, to make to the Borrower
the Loans set forth opposite its name on Schedule 2.01



                                      -24-




(or, in the case of any Loan  indicated on such Schedule 2.01 to be  outstanding
under the Existing Agreement, to continue such Loan as a Loan hereunder)2.

          (b)  Subject  to  the  terms  and  conditions  and  relying  upon  the
representations  and warranties herein set forth, each Lender agrees,  severally
and not  jointly,  at any time  prior to the  Maturity  Date (i)  subject to the
simultaneous  prepayment of any Borrowing or portion of a Borrowing  denominated
in Dollars in  accordance  with  Section  2.11,  to make a Loan to the  Borrower
denominated in Local Currency in a principal  amount not to exceed such Lender's
Applicable  Percentage of the Local Currency  Equivalent of the principal amount
so prepaid and (ii) subject to the  simultaneous  prepayment of any Borrowing or
portion of a Borrowing  denominated in Local Currency in accordance with Section
2.11,  to make a Loan to the  Borrower  denominated  in Dollars  in a  principal
amount  not  to  exceed  such  Lender's  Applicable  Percentage  of  the  Dollar
Equivalent  of the  principal  amount so prepaid;  provided,  that after  giving
effect to any Loan so made and to any such simultaneous prepayment,  neither the
Adjusted  Outstanding  Principal  Amount  nor  the  Exposure  shall  exceed  the
Aggregate Available Amount.

          (c) The  failure  of any  Lender to make any Loan  shall not in itself
relieve  any  other  Lender  of its  obligation  to  lend  hereunder  (it  being
understood,  however, that no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any
other Lender to make any Loan required to be made by such other Lender).

          SECTION  2.02.  Loans.  (a)  Subject to Sections  2.08 and 2.14,  each
Borrowing shall be comprised  entirely of Eurocurrency Loans (or, in the case of
any Loan denominated in Dollars, ABR Loans) as the Borrower may request pursuant
to Section  2.03 or 2.09.  Each Lender may at its option  make any  Eurocurrency
Loan by causing any  domestic or foreign  branch or  Affiliate of such Lender to
make such Loan;  provided  that any exercise of such option shall not affect the
obligation  of the Borrower to repay such Loan in  accordance  with the terms of
this  Agreement  and such Lender  shall not be  entitled to any amounts  payable
under  Section 2.12 or Section 2.18 in respect of increased  costs  arising as a
result of such exercise.  Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at
the same time;  provided,  however,  that the Borrower  shall not be entitled to
request any Borrowing which, if made, would result in more than six Eurocurrency
Borrowings  outstanding  hereunder at any time.  For purposes of the  foregoing,
Borrowings  having  different  Interest  Periods,  regardless  of  whether  they
commence on the same date, shall be considered separate Borrowings.

          (b) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on any
date by wire transfer to such account as the Administrative  Agent may designate
in  same  day  funds  not  later  than  11:00  a.m.,   Standard  Time,  and  the
Administrative Agent shall by 12:00 (noon), Standard Time, credit the amounts so
received to an account  designated by the Borrower or, if a Borrowing  shall not
occur on such date because any condition  precedent  herein  specified shall not
have been met, the Administrative  Agent shall return the amounts so received to
the respective Lenders.

          (c) Unless the Administrative  Agent shall have received notice from a
Lender  prior  to the  date of any  Borrowing  that  such  Lender  will not make
available to the  Administrative  Agent such Lender's portion of such Borrowing,
the  Administrative  Agent may assume  that such  Lender  has made such  portion
available to the Administrative  Agent on such date in accordance with paragraph
(b) above and the  Administrative  Agent may, in reliance upon such  assumption,
make  available  to the  Borrower on such date a  corresponding  amount.  If the
Administrative Agent shall have so made funds available then, to the extent that
such Lender  shall not have made such portion  available  to the  Administrative
Agent,   such  Lender  and  the  Borrower   severally  agree  to  repay  to  the
Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with
interest  thereon,  for each day from the date such 


- --------
  
     2 The amounts of the Loans made or  continued  on the Closing  Date will be
such  that  the  Adjusted  Outstanding  Principal  Amount  will not  exceed  the
Aggregate Available Amount.



                                      -25-




amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to
the Administrative  Agent at (i) in the case of the Borrower,  the interest rate
applicable at the time to the Loans  comprising  such  Borrowing and (ii) in the
case of such Lender, a rate determined by the Administrative  Agent to represent
its cost of overnight or  short-term  funds in the  applicable  currency  (which
determination  shall be conclusive  absent manifest error). If such Lender shall
repay to the Administrative  Agent such corresponding  amount, such amount shall
constitute  such  Lender's  Loan as part of such  Borrowing for purposes of this
Agreement.

          SECTION 2.03. Borrowing Procedure.  In order to request a Borrowing on
any date,  the  Borrower  shall hand  deliver or telecopy to the  Administrative
Agent a written  notice (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency  Borrowing,  not later
than 11:00 a.m., Standard Time, three Business Days before such date, and (b) in
the case of an ABR  Borrowing,  not later than 12:00 noon,  Standard  Time,  one
Business  Day  before  such  date;  provided,  however,  that in the case of any
Borrowing  to be made or  continued  on the Closing Date such notice may, at the
discretion  of the  Administrative  Agent,  be  delivered  later  than the times
specified above. Each such notice shall be irrevocable, shall be signed by or on
behalf of the  Borrower and shall  specify the  following  information:  (i) the
currency in which such Borrowing is to be denominated, which shall be Dollars or
Local Currency, (ii) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars,  whether
such Borrowing is to be a Eurocurrency Borrowing or an ABR Borrowing;  (iii) the
date of such  Borrowing  (which  shall be a Business  Day),  (iv) the number and
location of the account to which funds are to be  disbursed  (which  shall be an
account that complies with the requirements of Section 2.02(c));  (v) the amount
of such Borrowing; and (vi) if such Borrowing is to be a Eurocurrency Borrowing,
the   Interest   Period  with  respect   thereto;   provided,   however,   that,
notwithstanding  any contrary  specification in any such notice,  each requested
Borrowing  shall comply with the  requirements  set forth in Section 2.02. If no
election as to the Type of a Borrowing  denominated  in Dollars is  specified in
any such notice, then the requested  Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing.  If no
Interest Period with respect to any  Eurocurrency  Borrowing is specified in any
such  notice,  then the  Borrower  shall be deemed to have  selected an Interest
Period of one month's duration.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly (and in
any event on the same day that the Administrative Agent receives such notice, if
received  by 1:00 p.m.,  Standard  Time,  on such day) advise the Lenders of any
notice given  pursuant to this  Section  2.03 (and the contents  thereof) and of
each Lender's portion of the requested Borrowing.

          SECTION  2.04.   Evidence  of  Debt;   Repayment  of  Loans.  (a)  The
outstanding  principal  balance of each Loan shall be  payable  as  provided  in
Section  2.10.  Each Loan  shall  bear  interest  from the  Closing  Date on the
outstanding principal balance thereof as set forth in Section 2.06.

          (b) Each Lender shall  maintain in accordance  with its usual practice
an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness to such Lender resulting from
each Loan  made by such  Lender  from time to time,  including  the  amounts  of
principal and interest payable and paid such Lender from time to time under this
Agreement.

          (c) The Administrative  Agent shall maintain accounts in which it will
record  (i) the amount of each Loan made  hereunder,  the Type of each Loan made
and the Interest Period applicable thereto,  (ii) the amount of any principal or
interest  due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each
Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the  Administrative
Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender's share thereof.

          (d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraphs
(b) and (c) of this Section 2.04 shall,  to the extent  permitted by  applicable
law, be prima facie  evidence of the  existence  and amounts of the  obligations
therein  recorded;  provided,  however,  that the  failure  of any Lender or the
Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in
any  manner  affect  the  obligations  of the  Borrower  to repay  the  Loans in
accordance with their terms.



                                      -26-



          SECTION  2.05.  Notes.  Notwithstanding  any other  provision  of this
Agreement,  in the event that any Lender shall so request,  the  Borrower  shall
execute  and  deliver  to such  Lender a Note  payable  to such  Lender  and its
registered  assigns  representing  its interests under this  Agreement,  and the
interests  represented  by that Note  shall at all times  thereafter  (including
after any assignment of all or part of such interests  pursuant to Section 9.04)
be  represented  by one or more Notes  payable to the payee named therein or its
registered assigns.

          SECTION  2.06.  Interest on Loans.  (a) Subject to the  provisions  of
Section  2.07,  the Loans  comprising  each ABR  Borrowing  shall bear  interest
(computed  on the basis of the actual  number of days elapsed over a year of 365
or 366 days, as the case may be, when  determined by reference to the Prime Rate
and over a year of 360 days at all other times) at a rate per annum equal to the
Alternate Base Rate.

          (b) Subject to the  provisions of Section 2.07,  the Loans  comprising
each  Eurocurrency  Borrowing shall bear interest  (computed on the basis of the
actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days) at a rate per annum equal
to the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest  Period in effect for such  Borrowing
plus 0.25%.

          (c)  Interest  on each Loan shall be payable on the  Interest  Payment
Dates  applicable  to such Loan and on the  Maturity  Date,  except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement.  The applicable Alternate Base Rate or Adjusted LIBO
Rate for each Interest Period or day within an Interest Period,  as the case may
be, shall be  determined by the  Administrative  Agent,  and such  determination
shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

          SECTION 2.07.  Default Interest.  If the Borrower shall default in the
payment of the principal of or interest on any Loan or any other amount becoming
due hereunder,  by acceleration or otherwise,  the Borrower shall on demand from
time to time pay  interest,  to the extent  permitted by law, on such  defaulted
amount  for the  period  beginning  on the date of such  default  up to (but not
including) the date of actual  payment  (after as well as before  judgment) at a
rate per annum  (computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over
a year of 360 days) equal to (a) in the case of the  principal of or interest on
any Loan,  the rate that would  otherwise be  applicable to such Loan plus 2.00%
per annum, and (b) in the case of any other amount, the Alternate Base Rate plus
2.00% per annum.

          SECTION 2.08.  Alternate Rate of Interest.  In the event,  and on each
occasion,  that on the day two Business  Days prior to the  commencement  of any
Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Borrowing the Administrative Agent shall have
determined that deposits in the applicable  currency in the principal amounts of
the Loans  comprising  such Borrowing are not generally  available in the London
interbank  market,  or that the rates at which such  deposits are being  offered
will not  adequately  and  fairly  reflect  the cost to any  Lender of making or
maintaining  its  Eurocurrency   Loan  during  such  Interest  Period,  or  that
reasonable  means do not exist for  ascertaining  the  Adjusted  LIBO Rate,  the
Administrative Agent shall, as soon as practicable  thereafter,  give written or
telecopy notice of such  determination  to the Borrower and the Lenders.  In the
event of any such  determination,  until the  Administrative  Agent  shall  have
advised the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances  giving rise to such
notice no longer exist, any request by the Borrower for a Eurocurrency Borrowing
pursuant to Section 2.03 or 2.09 shall,  in the case of a Borrowing  denominated
in Dollars,  be deemed to be a request for an ABR  Borrowing  and shall,  in the
case of a Borrowing denominated in Local Currency, be disregarded.  In the event
that an outstanding  Borrowing denominated in Local Currency cannot be continued
into a new Interest Period by reason of the immediately preceding sentence, such
Borrowing  shall,  at the end of the  Interest  Period  in effect  therefor,  be
replaced with a Borrowing  denominated in Dollars as provided in Section 2.01(b)
or prepaid.  Each determination by the  Administrative  Agent hereunder shall be
conclusive absent manifest error.



                                      -27-




          SECTION 2.09. Conversion and Continuation of Borrowings.  The Borrower
shall  have  the  right  at  any  time  upon  prior  irrevocable  notice  to the
Administrative  Agent  (a) not later  than  12:00  (noon),  Standard  Time,  one
Business  Day  prior  to  conversion,  to  convert  any  Eurocurrency  Borrowing
denominated  in Dollars  into an ABR  Borrowing,  (b) not later than 10:00 a.m.,
Standard  Time,  three  Business Days prior to conversion  or  continuation,  to
convert any ABR Borrowing into a Eurocurrency  Borrowing  denominated in Dollars
or  to  continue  any  Eurocurrency   Borrowing  as  a  Eurocurrency   Borrowing
denominated in the same currency for an additional  Interest Period, and (c) not
later than 10:00 a.m.,  Standard Time,  three Business Days prior to conversion,
to convert the  Interest  Period with respect to any  Eurocurrency  Borrowing to
another permissible Interest Period, subject in each case to the following:

          (i) each conversion or  continuation  shall be made pro rata among the
     Lenders in accordance  with the respective  principal  amounts of the Loans
     comprising the converted or continued Borrowing;

          (ii)  if  less  than  all  the  outstanding  principal  amount  of any
     Borrowing  shall be converted or continued,  then each resulting  Borrowing
     shall  satisfy  the  limitations  specified  in  Sections  2.02(a)  and (b)
     regarding  the  principal  amount and maximum  number of  Borrowings of the
     relevant Type;

          (iii) each  conversion  shall be effected by each Lender by  recording
     for the account of such Lender the new Loan of such Lender  resulting  from
     such  conversion and reducing the Loan (or portion  thereof) of such Lender
     being converted by an equivalent  principal  amount;  accrued interest on a
     Loan (or portion  thereof) being converted shall be paid by the Borrower at
     the time of conversion;

          (iv) if any  Eurocurrency  Borrowing is converted at a time other than
     the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto,  the Borrower shall pay,
     upon demand, any amounts due to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.15;

          (v) any  portion of a  Borrowing  maturing or required to be repaid in
     less  than  one  month  may  not  be  converted  into  or  continued  as  a
     Eurocurrency Borrowing;

          (vi) any portion of a Eurocurrency Borrowing which cannot be converted
     into or continued as a Eurocurrency  Borrowing by reason of the immediately
     preceding  clause  shall  be  automatically  converted  at  the  end of the
     Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing into an ABR Borrowing; and

          (vii)  no  Interest  Period  may  be  selected  for  any  Eurocurrency
     Borrowing that would end later than the Maturity Date.

          Each notice  pursuant to this  Section 2.09 shall be  irrevocable  and
shall refer to this  Agreement  and specify (i) the  identity  and amount of the
Borrowing  that the Borrower  requests be converted or  continued,  (ii) whether
such Borrowing is to be converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing or
an ABR Borrowing,  (iii) if such notice requests a conversion,  the date of such
conversion  (which shall be a Business Day) and (iv) if such  Borrowing is to be
converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing,  the Interest Period with
respect  thereto.  If no Interest  Period is  specified  in any such notice with
respect to any conversion to or  continuation as a Eurocurrency  Borrowing,  the
Borrower  shall be deemed to have  selected  an  Interest  Period of one month's
duration.  The Administrative Agent shall advise the other Lenders of any notice
given  pursuant  to this  Section  2.09  and of  each  Lender's  portion  of any
converted or continued Borrowing. If the Borrower shall not have given notice in
accordance  with this Section 2.09 to continue any  Borrowing  into a subsequent
Interest  Period (and shall not otherwise  have given notice in accordance  with
this Section 2.09 to convert such  Borrowing),  the Borrower  shall be deemed to
have given notice (i) in the case of a



                                      -28-



Borrowing  denominated  in Dollars,  to convert such  Borrowing into or continue
such  Borrowing  as an ABR  Borrowing  and  (ii)  in  the  case  of a  Borrowing
denominated  in Local  Currency,  to continue  such  Borrowing for an additional
Interest Period of one month's duration.

          SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Borrowings. The Borrowings shall be payable
as to principal on the Maturity Date.

          SECTION 2.11. Prepayment. (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any
time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing, in whole or in part, upon at
least three Business Days' prior written or telecopy notice (or telephone notice
promptly  confirmed by written or telecopy notice) to the  Administrative  Agent
before  11:00  a.m.,  Standard  Time;  provided,   however,  that  each  partial
prepayment  shall  be in an  amount  which  is (i) in the  case  of a  Borrowing
denominated in Dollars,  an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and (ii) in the case
of a  Borrowing  denominated  in Local  Currency,  at least the  Local  Currency
Equivalent of $1,000,000.

          (b) In the event the Borrower  shall  reduce the Stated  Amount of any
Letter of Credit  in  accordance  with the terms  thereof,  the  Borrower  shall
simultaneously  prepay Loans in such amounts as shall be necessary in order that
neither the Adjusted Outstanding  Principal Amount nor the Exposure shall exceed
the Aggregate Available Amount.

          (c) If on any Reset Date or on any Testing Date (after  giving  effect
to any  Loans to be made or repaid  on such  date),  the  Exposure  exceeds  the
Aggregate Available Amount, then the Administrative  Agent shall promptly notify
the Borrower of such excess.  Not later than four Business Days after  receiving
such notice the Borrower shall prepay Loans and otherwise reduce the Exposure in
such  amounts  as  shall  be  necessary  in  order  that  neither  the  Adjusted
Outstanding  Principal  Amount  nor the  Exposure  shall  exceed  the  Aggregate
Available Amount.

          (d) Each notice of prepayment  shall specify the  prepayment  date and
the principal amount of each Borrowing (or portion thereof) to be prepaid, shall
be  irrevocable  and shall commit the  Borrower to prepay such  Borrowing by the
amount stated therein on the date stated  therein.  All  prepayments  under this
Section 2.11 shall be subject to Section 2.14 but otherwise  without  premium or
penalty. All prepayments under this Section 2.11 shall be accompanied by accrued
interest on the principal amount being prepaid to the date of payment.

          SECTION  2.12.  Reserve  Requirements;  Change in  Circumstances.  (a)
Notwithstanding  any other provision herein, if after the date of this Agreement
any  change  in  applicable  law  or  regulation  or in  the  interpretation  or
administration   thereof  by  any  Governmental   Authority   charged  with  the
interpretation  or  administration  thereof  (whether or not having the force of
law) shall  change the basis of taxation of payments to any Lender in respect of
the principal of or interest on any Eurocurrency Loan made by such Lender or any
other  amounts  payable  hereunder  (other than  changes in respect of (i) taxes
imposed on the overall net income of such  Lender by the  jurisdiction  in which
such Lender has its principal  office or by any political  subdivision or taxing
authority  therein  and (ii) any Taxes  described  in  Section  2.18),  or shall
impose,  modify or deem  applicable  any  reserve,  special  deposit  or similar
requirement  against  assets or  deposits  with or for the  account of or credit
extended by such Lender (except any such reserve  requirement which is reflected
in the  Adjusted  LIBO  Rate) or shall  impose on such  Lender or the  interbank
Eurocurrency  market  any  other  condition  affecting  this  Agreement  or  any
Eurocurrency  Loans of such Lender, and the result of any of the foregoing shall
be to  increase  the cost to such Lender of making any  Eurocurrency  Loan or to
reduce the amount of any sum  received or  receivable  by such Lender  hereunder
(whether of principal, interest or otherwise) by an amount deemed by such Lender
to be material, then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender upon
demand such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such
additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.



                                      -29-




          (b) If any Lender shall have  determined  that the adoption  after the
date  hereof  of any  law,  rule,  regulation  or  guideline  regarding  capital
adequacy,  or any change after the date hereof in any of the foregoing or in the
interpretation  or  administration  of any of the foregoing by any  Governmental
Authority,  central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or
administration  thereof,  or compliance by any Lender (or any lending  office of
such  Lender) or any  Lender's  holding  company  with any request or  directive
regarding  capital  adequacy  (whether  or not  having the force of law) made or
issued after the date hereof by any such  authority,  central bank or comparable
agency,  has or would  have the  effect of  reducing  the rate of return on such
Lender's capital or on the capital of such Lender's holding company,  if any, as
a consequence of this Agreement or its  obligations  pursuant  hereto to a level
below  that  which  such  Lender or such  Lender's  holding  company  would have
achieved but for such adoption,  change or compliance (taking into consideration
such Lender's  policies and the policies of such Lender's  holding  company with
respect to capital  adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender to be material,
then from time to time the  Borrower  shall pay to such  Lender upon demand such
additional  amount or amounts as will  compensate  such Lender or such  Lender's
holding company for any such reduction suffered.

          (c) A certificate  of each Lender setting forth such amount or amounts
as shall be  necessary  to  compensate  such  Lender or its  holding  company as
specified in paragraph (a) or (b) above,  as the case may be, shall be delivered
to the Borrower through the Administrative  Agent and shall be conclusive absent
manifest  error.  The Borrower  shall pay each Lender the amount shown as due on
any such  certificate  delivered  by it within 10 days after its  receipt of the
same.

          (d) In the event any Lender  delivers a notice  pursuant to  paragraph
(e) below,  the Borrower may require,  at the Borrower's  expense and subject to
Section  2.14,  such Lender to assign,  at par plus  accrued  interest and fees,
without recourse (in accordance with Section 9.04) all its interests, rights and
obligations  hereunder  (including  all the Loans at the time  owing to it) to a
financial  institution  specified  by  the  Borrower;  provided  that  (i)  such
assignment  shall not conflict  with or violate any law,  rule or  regulation or
order of any court or other Governmental Authority, (ii) the Borrower shall have
received the written consent of the Administrative Agent to such assignment, and
(iii) the Borrower  shall have paid to the assigning  Lender all monies  accrued
and owing hereunder to it (including pursuant to this Section 2.12) .

          (e) Promptly  after any Lender has  determined,  in its sole judgment,
that it will make a request for increased  compensation pursuant to this Section
2.12, such Lender will notify the Borrower  thereof.  Failure on the part of any
Lender so to notify the  Borrower or to demand  compensation  for any  increased
costs or reduction in amounts  received or  receivable or reduction in return on
capital  with  respect  to any  period  shall  not  constitute  a waiver of such
Lender's right to demand  compensation  with respect to such period or any other
period;  provided  that the  Borrower  shall  not be  under  any  obligation  to
compensate any Lender under  paragraph (b) above with respect to increased costs
or  reductions  with  respect to any period prior to the date that is six months
prior to such request if such Lender knew or could reasonably have been expected
to be  aware  of the  circumstances  giving  rise to  such  increased  costs  or
reductions  and of the fact that such  circumstances  would in fact  result in a
claim  for  increased   compensation  by  reason  of  such  increased  costs  or
reductions;  provided  further that the foregoing  limitation shall not apply to
any increased costs or reductions arising out of the retroactive  application of
any law,  regulation,  rule, guideline or directive as aforesaid within such six
month  period.  The  protection  of this Section 2.12 shall be available to each
Lender   regardless  of  any  possible   contention  as  to  the  invalidity  or
inapplicability  of the law,  rule,  regulation,  guideline  or other  change or
condition which shall have occurred or been imposed.

          SECTION  2.13.  Change  in  Legality.  (a)  Notwithstanding  any other
provision  herein,  if the adoption of or any change in any law or regulation or
in the  interpretation  thereof by any Governmental  Authority  charged with the
administration or  interpretation  thereof shall make it unlawful for any Lender
to make or maintain any  Eurocurrency  Loan or to give effect to its obligations
as



                                      -30-



  
contemplated  hereby with respect to any  Eurocurrency  Loan,  then,  by written
notice to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, such Lender may:

          (i) declare that  Eurocurrency  Loans will not  thereafter  be made by
     such Lender hereunder,  whereupon any request for a Eurocurrency  Borrowing
     denominated in Dollars,  shall, as to such Lender only, be deemed a request
     for an ABR Loan unless such declaration shall be subsequently withdrawn and
     any request for a  Eurocurrency  Borrowing  denominated  in Local  Currency
     shall be disregarded; and

          (ii) require  that all  outstanding  Eurocurrency  Loans made by it be
     converted  into or replaced as  contemplated  by Section  2.01(b)  with ABR
     Loans or prepaid,  in which event all such  Eurocurrency  Loans shall be so
     converted to or replaced with ABR Loans on or prior to the  effective  date
     of such notice as provided in  paragraph  (b) below or, if not so converted
     or replaced, prepaid.

In the event any Lender shall  exercise its rights under (i) or (ii) above,  all
payments and prepayments of principal which would otherwise have been applied to
repay the  Eurocurrency  Loans that  would have been made by such  Lender or the
converted  Eurocurrency  Loans of such Lender shall  instead be applied to repay
any ABR Loans made by such Lender in lieu of, or resulting  from the  conversion
of, such Eurocurrency Loans.

          (b) For purposes of this Section 2.13, a notice to the Borrower by any
Lender shall be effective as to each  Eurocurrency  Loan, if lawful, on the last
day of the Interest Period currently  applicable to such  Eurocurrency  Loan; in
all other cases such  notice  shall be  effective  on the date of receipt by the
Borrower.

          SECTION 2.14.  Indemnity.  The Borrower  shall  indemnify  each Lender
against any loss or expense  (other than taxes) which such Lender may sustain or
incur as a consequence of (a) any failure by the Borrower to fulfill on the date
of any Borrowing or proposed Borrowing  hereunder the applicable  conditions set
forth in Article  IV,  (b) any  failure by the  Borrower  to borrow,  convert or
continue  any  Loan  hereunder  after  irrevocable  notice  of  such  Borrowing,
conversion or continuation  has been given pursuant to Section 2.03 or 2.09, (c)
any payment,  prepayment or conversion  of a  Eurocurrency  Loan required by any
other  provision of this  Agreement  or otherwise  made or deemed made on a date
other  than the last day of the  Interest  Period  applicable  thereto,  (d) any
default in payment or prepayment of the principal amount of any Loan or any part
thereof or  interest  accrued  thereon,  as and when due and payable (at the due
date thereof, whether by scheduled maturity, acceleration, irrevocable notice of
prepayment  or  otherwise)  or (e)  the  occurrence  of any  Event  of  Default,
including,  in each such  case,  any loss or  reasonable  expense  sustained  or
incurred or to be sustained  or incurred in  liquidating  or employing  deposits
from third parties  acquired to effect or maintain such Loan or any part thereof
as a Eurocurrency  Loan.  Such loss or reasonable  expense shall exclude loss of
margin  hereunder  but shall  include an amount equal to the excess,  if any, as
reasonably determined by such Lender, of (i) its cost of obtaining the funds for
the Loan being paid, prepaid, converted or not borrowed,  converted or continued
(assumed to be the Adjusted  LIBO Rate  applicable  thereto) for the period from
the date of such payment,  prepayment,  conversion or failure to borrow, convert
or  continue  to the last day of the  Interest  Period for such Loan (or, in the
case of a failure to borrow,  convert or continue,  the Interest Period for such
Loan  which  would have  commenced  on the date of such  failure)  over (ii) the
amount of interest  (as  reasonably  determined  by such  Lender)  that would be
realized by such Lender in reemploying the funds so paid, prepaid,  converted or
not borrowed,  converted or continued for such period or Interest Period, as the
case may be. A  certificate  of any Lender  setting  forth any amount or amounts
which such Lender is entitled to receive  pursuant to this Section 2.14 (and the
reasons therefor) shall be delivered to the Borrower through the  Administrative
Agent and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.



                                      -31-




          SECTION 2.15.  Pro Rata  Treatment.  Except as required  under Section
2.13, each Borrowing,  each payment or prepayment of principal of any Borrowing,
each payment of interest on the Loans,  and each  conversion of any Borrowing to
or  continuation  of any Borrowing as a Borrowing of any Type shall be allocated
pro rata among the Lenders in accordance with the respective  principal  amounts
of their  outstanding  Loans (or, prior to the making of the initial Loans,  the
amounts of the Loans to be made by them,  as set forth in Schedule  2.01).  Each
Lender  agrees that in computing  such  Lender's  portion of any Borrowing to be
made hereunder,  the  Administrative  Agent may, in its  discretion,  round each
Lender's percentage of such Borrowing, computed in accordance with Section 2.01,
to the next higher or lower whole unit of Dollars or Local Currency, as the case
may be.

          SECTION 2.16. Sharing of Setoffs. Each Lender agrees that if it shall,
through the exercise of a right of banker's lien, setoff or counterclaim against
the  Borrower,  or pursuant to a secured  claim under Section 506 of Title 11 of
the United States Code, or other  security or interest  arising from, or in lieu
of, such secured claim, received by such Lender under any applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency  or other  similar law or  otherwise,  or by any other means,  obtain
payment  (voluntary or  involuntary) in respect of any Loan or Loans as a result
of which the unpaid principal portion of its Loans shall be proportionately less
than the unpaid principal  portion of the Loans of any other Lender, it shall be
deemed  simultaneously  to have  purchased from such other Lender at face value,
and  shall  promptly  pay to  such  other  Lender  the  purchase  price  for,  a
participation  in the Loans of such other Lender,  so that the aggregate  unpaid
principal  amount of the Loans and  participations  in Loans held by each Lender
shall be in the same proportion to the aggregate  unpaid principal amount of all
Loans  then  outstanding  as the  principal  amount of its  Loans  prior to such
exercise  of banker's  lien,  setoff or  counterclaim  or other event was to the
principal  amount of all Loans  outstanding  prior to such  exercise of banker's
lien,  setoff or counterclaim or other event;  provided,  however,  that, if any
such purchase or purchases or adjustments shall be made pursuant to this Section
2.16 and the payment  giving rise thereto shall  thereafter  be recovered,  such
purchase or  purchases or  adjustments  shall be rescinded to the extent of such
recovery  and the  purchase  price or  prices  or  adjustment  restored  without
interest.  The Borrower  expressly  consents to the foregoing  arrangements  and
agrees that any Lender holding a participation  in a Loan deemed to have been so
purchased  may  exercise  any  and  all  rights  of  banker's  lien,  setoff  or
counterclaim  with  respect to any and all moneys  owing by the Borrower to such
Lender by reason  thereof as fully as if such Lender had made a Loan directly to
the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

          SECTION  2.17.  Payments.  (a) The  Borrower  shall make each  payment
without  set-off or  counterclaim  (including  principal  of or  interest on any
Borrowing or any other  amounts)  hereunder,  under any Note and under any other
Loan Document not later than 12:00  (noon),  local time at the place of payment,
on the date when due in immediately  available funds. Each such payment shall be
made to the  Administrative  Agent at its offices at [ADDRESS OF LOCAL OFFICE OF
THE CHASE MANHATTAN  BANK].  Each such payment shall be made in Dollars or Local
Currency as applicable.

          (b)  Whenever any payment  (including  principal of or interest on any
Borrowing or any other amount)  hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall
become due, or otherwise  would occur, on a day that is not a Business Day, such
payment may be made on the next  succeeding  Business Day (except in the case of
payment of principal of a Eurocurrency Borrowing if the effect of such extension
would be to extend such payment into the next  succeeding  month, in which event
such payment shall be due on the immediately  preceding  Business Day), and such
extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of interest,
if applicable.

          SECTION  2.18 Taxes.  (a) Any and all  payments by the Borrower to the
Administrative  Agent or the Lenders hereunder or under the other Loan Documents
shall be made,  in accordance  with Section 2.18,  free and clear of and without
deduction for any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts,  deductions,
charges or withholdings, and all liabilities with respect thereto, excluding (i)
in the case of each Lender and the Administrative Agent, taxes that would not be
imposed



                                      -32-




but for a  connection  between such Lender or the  Administrative  Agent (as the
case may be) and the  jurisdiction  imposing  such tax,  other than a connection
arising solely by virtue of the activities of such Lender or the  Administrative
Agent (as the case may be) pursuant to or in respect of this  Agreement or under
any other Loan Document,  including  entering  into,  lending money or extending
credit pursuant to,  receiving  payments under, or enforcing,  this Agreement or
any  other  Loan  Document,  and  (ii)  in the  case  of  each  Lender  and  the
Administrative  Agent, any withholding  taxes payable in the jurisdiction of the
Lender with respect to payments made hereunder or under the other Loan Documents
under  the  laws  (including  any  statute,  treaty,  ruling,  determination  or
regulation) in effect on the Initial Date (as hereinafter defined) applicable to
such Lender or the  Administrative  Agent, as the case may be, but not excluding
any such withholding taxes payable in the jurisdiction of the Lender solely as a
result of any change in such laws  occurring  after the  Initial  Date (all such
non-excluded  taxes,  levies,  imposts,  deductions,  charges,  withholdings and
liabilities  being  hereinafter  referred to as  "Taxes").  For purposes of this
Section  2.18,  the  term  "Initial  Date"  shall  mean  (i) in the  case of the
Administrative Agent or any Lender, the date on which such person became a party
to  this  Agreement  and  (ii)  in the  case  of any  assignment  including  any
assignment by a Lender to a new lending office, the date of such assignment.  If
any Taxes shall be required by law to be deducted  from or in respect of any sum
payable  hereunder  or under  any  other  Loan  Document  to any  Lender  or the
Administrative  Agent, (i) the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as
may be  necessary  so that  after  making  all  required  deductions  (including
deductions  applicable to additional  sums payable under this Section 2.18) such
Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, receives an amount equal
to the sum it would have  received had no such  deductions  been made,  (ii) the
Borrower  shall make such  deductions  and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full
amount  deducted  to the  relevant  taxation  authority  or other  authority  in
accordance with applicable law. The Borrower shall not, however,  be required to
pay any amounts  pursuant to clause (i) of the preceding  sentence to any Lender
or the Administrative Agent (in the case of payments to be made by the Borrower)
if such Lender or the Administrative Agent fails to comply with the requirements
of paragraphs (f) and (g) of this Section 2.18).

          (b) In  addition,  the  Borrower  agrees to pay any  present or future
stamp or  documentary  taxes or any other excise or property  taxes,  charges or
similar levies which arise from the execution,  delivery or registration  of, or
otherwise   with  respect  to,  this   Agreement  or  any  other  Loan  Document
(hereinafter referred to as "Other Taxes").

          (c) The Borrower  will  indemnify  each Lender and the  Administrative
Agent for the full amount of Taxes and Other Taxes (including any Taxes or Other
Taxes imposed by any  jurisdiction  on amounts  payable under this Section 2.18)
paid by such  Lender or the  Administrative  Agent,  as the case may be, and any
liability  (including  penalties,  interest  and expenses  including  reasonable
attorney's fees and expenses)  arising therefrom or with respect thereto whether
or not such  Taxes  or  Other  Taxes  were  correctly  or  legally  asserted.  A
certificate  as to the amount of such payment or liability  prepared by a Lender
or the Administrative  Agent, absent manifest error, shall be final,  conclusive
and binding for all purposes; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Borrower reasonably
believes that such Taxes or Other Taxes were not correctly or legally  asserted,
such  Lender  or the  Administrative  Agent,  as the  case  may  be,  shall  use
reasonable  efforts to  cooperate  with the  Borrower to obtain a refund of such
Taxes or Other Taxes.  Such  indemnification  shall be made within 10 days after
the date any  Lender  or the  Administrative  Agent,  as the case may be,  makes
written demand therefor.  If a Lender or the  Administrative  Agent shall become
aware  that it is  entitled  to  receive a refund in  respect  of Taxes or Other
Taxes, it shall promptly notify the Borrower of the  availability of such refund
and shall, within 30 days after receipt of a request by the Borrower,  pursue or
timely  claim  such  refund  at the  Borrower's  expense.  If any  Lender or the
Administrative  Agent  receives a refund in respect of any Taxes or Other  Taxes
for which such Lender or the Administrative  Agent has received payment from the
Borrower  hereunder,  it shall  promptly  repay such refund  (plus any  interest
received) to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or
additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.19 with respect to
the  Taxes  or  Other  Taxes  giving  rise to such  refund);  provided  that the
Borrower, upon the request of such Lender or the Administrative Agent, agrees to
return such refund (plus any penalties, interest or other charges required to be
paid) to such Lender or



                                      -33-




the Administrative Agent in the event such Lender or the Administrative Agent is
required to repay such refund to the relevant taxing authority.

          (d)  Within 30 days  after the date of any  payment  of Taxes or Other
Taxes  withheld  by the  Borrower in respect of any payment to any Lender or the
Administrative  Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent, at
its address  referred to in Schedule 2.01, the original or a certified copy of a
receipt evidencing payment thereof.

          (e) Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement contained
herein,  the  agreements  and  obligations  contained in this Section 2.18 shall
survive  the  payment  in full  of  principal  and  interest  hereunder  and the
termination of the commitments of the Lenders hereunder.

          (f) Each Lender and the  Administrative  Agent that is  claiming  such
additional  amounts agrees that within a reasonable period of time following the
request of the  Borrower  it will,  to the extent it is  legally  entitled  to a
reduction in the rate of or exemption from withholding taxes in the jurisdiction
of the Borrower,  deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative  Agent any form
or document required under the laws,  regulations,  official  interpretations or
treaties  enacted  by,  made or  entered  into with such  jurisdiction  properly
completed  and  duly  executed  by  such  Lender  or  the  Administrative  Agent
establishing  that any payments  hereunder  are exempt from  withholding  tax or
subject to a reduced rate of withholding  tax in such  jurisdiction  as the case
may  be;  provided  that,  in the  sole  determination  of  such  Lender  or the
Administrative   Agent,   such  form  or   document   shall  not  be   otherwise
disadvantageous to such Lender or the Administrative Agent.

          (g) Any Lender  claiming any additional  amounts  payable  pursuant to
this  Section  2.18  shall use  reasonable  efforts  (consistent  with legal and
regulatory  restrictions)  to file any  certificate  or  document  requested  in
writing by the Borrower to change the  jurisdiction  of its  applicable  lending
office if the  making of such a filing  or  change  would  avoid the need for or
reduce the amount of any such  additional  amounts which would be payable or may
thereafter  accrue and would not, in the sole  determination of such Lender,  be
otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

          (h) Nothing contained in this Section 2.18 shall require any Lender or
the Administrative  Agent to make available any of its tax returns (or any other
information that it reasonably deems to be confidential or proprietary).


ARTICLE III.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

          The  Borrower  hereby  makes  and  confirms  each  representation  and
warranty  made in the U.S.  Credit  Agreement  to the  extent it  relates to the
Borrower or any  Subsidiary  and in addition  represents and warrants to each of
the Lenders that:

          SECTION 3.01. Use of Proceeds.  (a) The Borrower will use the proceeds
of the Loans only for the purposes specified in the preamble to this Agreement.

          (b) No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly
or indirectly,  and whether  immediately,  incidentally  or  ultimately,  (i) to
purchase or carry Margin Stock or to extend  credit to others for the purpose of
purchasing  or  carrying  Margin  Stock  or to  refund  indebtedness  originally
incurred for such purpose, or (ii) for any purpose which entails a violation of,
or which is  inconsistent  with, the provisions of the Regulations of the Board,
including Regulation G, U or X.

          SECTION  3.02.  Exchange  Controls.  There do not exist  any  exchange
controls or other  restrictions  on the  Borrower or any  Subsidiary  that could
materially  and  adversely   affect  the  Borrower's   ability  to  perform  its
obligations  hereunder,  under any other Loan Document or under the U.S.  Credit
Agreement.



                                      -34-




ARTICLE IV.  CONDITIONS OF LENDING

          The  obligations  of the  Lenders to make the Loans  hereunder  on the
Closing Date are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

          (a) The Administrative Agent shall have received a notice of borrowing
     as required by Section 2.03.

          (b) The representations and warranties set forth in Article III hereof
     shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing
     Date with the same effect as though made on and as of such date,  except to
     the extent  such  representations  and  warranties  expressly  relate to an
     earlier date.

          (c) The  Borrower  shall  be in  compliance  with  all the  terms  and
     provisions  set forth herein and in each other Loan Document on its part to
     be  observed or  performed,  and at the time of and  immediately  after the
     borrowing on the Closing  Date,  no Event of Default or Default  shall have
     occurred and be continuing.

          (d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate,  dated
     the  Closing  Date and  signed  by a  Financial  Officer  of the  Borrower,
     confirming compliance with the conditions precedent set forth in paragraphs
     (b) and (c) above.

          (e) The  Administrative  Agent shall have received all amounts due and
     payable  hereunder  or under any  other  Loan  Document  on or prior to the
     Closing Date, including,  to the extent invoiced,  reimbursement or payment
     of all  out-of-pocket  expenses  required to be  reimbursed  or paid by the
     Borrower.

          (f) The Administrative Agent shall have received,  on behalf of itself
     and the  Lenders,  a  favorable  written  opinion of [ ],  counsel  for the
     Borrower,  substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit C (i) dated the
     Closing Date, (ii) addressed to the  Administrative  Agent, the Lenders and
     each Fronting Bank,  and (iii) covering such other matters  relating to the
     Loan  Documents  and the  Transactions  as the  Administrative  Agent shall
     reasonably  request,  and the  Borrower  hereby  instructs  such counsel to
     deliver such opinion.

          (g) All legal  matters  incidental to this  Agreement,  the other Loan
     Documents  and the  Transactions  shall be reasonably  satisfactory  to the
     Lenders and to counsel for the Administrative Agent.

          (h) The Administrative  Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of
     the Secretary or an Assistant  Secretary of the Borrower  dated the Closing
     Date and certifying  (A) that attached  thereto is a true and complete copy
     of  resolutions  duly adopted by the Board of Directors or other  governing
     body of the Borrower authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of
     the Loan Documents and the borrowings hereunder,  and that such resolutions
     have not been  modified,  rescinded  or  amended  and are in full force and
     effect and (B) as to the incumbency and specimen  signature of each officer
     of the Borrower executing any Loan Document or any other document delivered
     in connection  herewith;  (ii) a certificate  of another  officer as to the
     incumbency and specimen  signature of the Secretary or Assistant  Secretary
     executing  the  certificate  pursuant  to (i)  above;  and (iii) such other
     documents  as the  Lenders or counsel  for the  Administrative  Agent,  may
     reasonably request.

          (i) The Parent Guarantee  Agreement and each of the Security Documents
     set forth in Schedule  1.01 as being  delivered  on the Closing  Date shall
     have been  duly  executed  by the  parties  thereto  and  delivered  to the
     Administrative Agent and shall be in full force and effect.



                                      -35-



          (j) Each Letter of Credit set forth on  Schedule  4.01 shall have been
     duly issued and  delivered  by the  applicable  Fronting  Bank set forth on
     Schedule  4.01 to the  Administrative  Agent  and the  Aggregate  Available
     Amount shall be not less than the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount
     of the  Dollar  Loans  to be  made on the  Closing  Date  and the  Interest
     Component in respect  thereof and (ii) the Dollar  Equivalent  of the Local
     Currency  Loans to be made on the  Closing  Date and the  Foreign  Currency
     Component in respect thereof.

          (k) The Existing Agreement shall have been or shall  simultaneously be
terminated  and all  amounts  outstanding  thereunder  (including  all  interest
accrued on loans  outstanding  thereunder to the Closing Date) paid in full (or,
in the case of the principal of loans outstanding thereunder, continued as Loans
hereunder).


ARTICLE V.  AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

          The Borrower hereby covenants and agrees with each Lender that so long
as this  Agreement  shall  remain in effect  and  until the  commitments  of the
Lenders hereunder have been terminated and the principal of and interest on each
Loan and all other  expenses or amounts  payable under any Loan Document  (other
than the Parent Guarantee  Agreement)  shall have been paid in full,  unless the
Required Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, the Borrower will, and will
cause  each of the  Subsidiaries  to,  comply  with each  covenant  set forth in
Article V of the U.S. Credit  Agreement to the extent it relates to the Borrower
or any Subsidiary, and in addition will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries
to:

          SECTION 5.01.  Notices.  Furnish to the Administrative  Agent and each
Lender prompt written notice of any Event of Default or Default,  specifying the
nature and extent  thereof  and the  corrective  action (if any)  proposed to be
taken with respect thereto.

          SECTION 5.02. Use of Proceeds.  Use the proceeds of the Loans only for
the purposes set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

          SECTION  5.03.  Further  Assurances.   Execute  any  and  all  further
documents,  financing  statements,  agreements  and  instruments,  and  take all
further action  (including  filing  financing  statements)  that may be required
under applicable law or any Security Document, or which the Administrative Agent
may reasonably request, in order to effectuate the transactions  contemplated by
the Loan  Documents  and in order to grant,  preserve,  protect  and perfect the
validity and first priority  (subject only to Liens permitted by Section 6.02 of
the U.S. Credit  Agreement) of the security  interests created or intended to be
created by the Security Documents.  In addition, from time to time, the Borrower
and the Subsidiaries will, at their cost and expense, on or promptly (but in any
event within 10 Business Days) following the date of acquisition by the Borrower
or any  Subsidiary  of any new  subsidiary  (subject  to the receipt of required
consents  from  Governmental  Authorities  and required  consents of other third
parties),  promptly secure the  Obligations (as defined in the Parent  Guarantee
Agreement)  by causing the  following to occur:  (i) promptly  upon  creating or
acquiring any additional  subsidiary,  the Capital Stock of such subsidiary will
be pledged  pursuant to a pledge agreement  reasonably  satisfactory in form and
substance to the  Administrative  Agent and (ii) such  subsidiary  will become a
guarantor  of the  Obligations  pursuant  to a  subsidiary  guarantee  agreement
reasonably  satisfactory in form and substance to the  Administrative  Agent. In
connection  with the creation of such security  interests  and Liens,  under the
Security Documents,  the Borrower and the Subsidiaries shall deliver or cause to
be delivered to the  Administrative  Agent all such  instruments  and  documents
(including legal opinions and lien searches) as the  Administrative  Agent shall
reasonably  request to evidence  compliance with this Section 5.03. The Borrower
agrees to provide, and to cause each Subsidiary to provide, such evidence as the
Administrative  Agent shall reasonably request as to the perfection and priority
status of each such security interest and Lien.



                                      -36-




ARTICLE VI.  NEGATIVE COVENANTS

          The Borrower  hereby  covenants  and agrees with each Lender that,  so
long as this Agreement  shall remain in effect and until the  commitments of the
Lenders hereunder have been terminated and the principal of and interest on each
Loan and all other  expenses or amounts  payable under any Loan Document  (other
than the Parent Guarantee Agreement) have been paid in full, unless the Required
Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing,  the Borrower will not, and will not
cause or permit any of the  Subsidiaries  to, fail to comply with each  covenant
set forth in Article VI of the U.S. Credit Agreement to the extent it relates to
the Borrower or any Subsidiary,  and in addition will not, and will not cause or
permit any of the Subsidiaries to:

          SECTION  6.01.  Aggregate  Available  Amount.   Permit  the  Aggregate
Available Amount at any time to be less than the Exposure at such time.

          SECTION  6.02.  Replacement  Fronting  Bank.  Fail,  within 60 days of
receipt of written notice from the Required  Lenders  requesting the replacement
of any Fronting Bank whose long term credit  deposits rating has been downgraded
by Standard & Poor's  Ratings  Group ("S&P") or Moody's  Investors  Service Inc.
("Moody's")  and who as a  result  has a  rating  of less  than A from S&P and a
rating of less than A2 from  Moody's  to  replace  such  Fronting  Bank and each
Letter of Credit issued  thereby with one or more Fronting  Banks  acceptable to
the Required Lenders and Letters of Credit issued by such  replacement  Fronting
Banks having  Stated  Amounts in the  aggregate  equal to the  aggregate  Stated
Amounts of the Letters of Credit issued by the replaced Fronting Bank.

          SECTION 6.03.  Amendment of Loan Documents.  Amend or modify, or grant
any waiver or release under, any Loan Document without the prior written consent
of the Administrative Agent under the U.S. Credit Agreement.


ARTICLE VII.  EVENTS OF DEFAULT

          In case of the  happening of any of the following  events  ("Events of
Default"):

          (a) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by the Borrower
     or any Loan Party in any Loan Document,  or any  representation,  warranty,
     statement or information  contained in any report,  certificate,  financial
     statement or other  instrument  furnished in connection with or pursuant to
     any Loan  Document,  shall  prove to have been false or  misleading  in any
     material respect when so made,  deemed made or furnished by the Borrower or
     any Loan Party and the  Aggregate  Available  Amount shall be less than the
     Exposure;

          (b) default  shall be made in the payment of any principal of any Loan
     when and as the same  shall  become  due and  payable,  whether  (i) on the
     Maturity Date or (ii) at a date fixed for  prepayment  thereof or otherwise
     and,  in the case of a  default  under  clause  (ii),  such  default  shall
     continue for a period of five Business Days;

          (c) default shall have been made in the payment of any interest on any
     Loan or any other  amount  (other than an amount  referred to in (b) above)
     due under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall have become due and
     payable,  and such  default  shall  have  continued  for a  period  of five
     Business  Days and the  Aggregate  Available  Amount shall be less than the
     Exposure;

          (d) (i) default shall be made in the due  observance or performance by
     the  Borrower or any  Subsidiary  of any  covenant,  condition or agreement
     contained  in  Section  6.01 or  Section  6.02 or (ii) any Letter of Credit
     shall expire or cease to be a legal,  valid and binding  obligation  of the
     applicable  Fronting  Bank  and,  in the case of clause  (i) or (ii),  such
     default



                                      -37-




     shall continue for a period of five Business Days,  unless,  in the case of
     clause (ii),  (A) such Letter of Credit is replaced with a Letter of Credit
     satisfactory to the Required Lenders or (B) the Aggregate  Available Amount
     shall be greater  than the  Exposure  notwithstanding  such  expiration  or
     cessation with respect to such Letter of Credit;

          (e) default shall be made in the due  observance or performance by the
     Borrower  or  any  Subsidiary  of  any  covenant,  condition  or  agreement
     contained in any Loan Document  (other than those  specified in (b), (c) or
     (d) above) and such default shall  continue  unremedied  for a period of 45
     Business  Days after notice  thereof from the  Administrative  Agent to the
     Borrower during which the Aggregate Available Amount shall be less than the
     Exposure;

          (f) an  involuntary  proceeding  shall be commenced or an  involuntary
     petition  shall be filed in a court of competent  jurisdiction  seeking (i)
     relief in respect of the Borrower, or of a substantial part of the property
     or assets of the Borrower, under any bankruptcy,  insolvency,  receivership
     or similar law, (ii) the  appointment  of a receiver,  trustee,  custodian,
     sequestrator,  conservator  or similar  official  for the Borrower or for a
     substantial  part of the  property  or assets of the  Borrower or (iii) the
     winding up or liquidation of the Borrower;  and such proceeding or petition
     shall continue  undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree  approving or
     ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

          (g) the Borrower shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file
     any petition seeking relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency,  receivership
     or similar law, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a
     timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or the filing of any petition
     described in (f) above,  (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a
     receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official
     for the Borrower or for a substantial part of the property or assets of the
     Borrower,  (iv) file an answer  admitting  the  material  allegations  of a
     petition  filed  against  it in any such  proceeding,  (v)  make a  general
     assignment  for the  benefit of  creditors,  (vi) become  unable,  admit in
     writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due
     or (vii) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
     or

          (h) the maturity of loans  outstanding under the U.S. Credit Agreement
     shall be accelerated pursuant to Article VII of such Agreement;

then,  and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower
described in paragraph (f) or (g) above),  and at any time thereafter during the
continuance  of such  event,  the  Administrative  Agent,  at the request of the
Required  Lenders,  shall,  by  notice to the  Borrower,  take any or all of the
following actions,  at the same or different times: (i) terminate  forthwith the
commitments of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder,  (ii) declare the Loans then
outstanding  to be forthwith due and payable in whole or in part,  whereupon the
principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable,  together with accrued
interest  thereon  and all other  unpaid  liabilities  of the  Borrower  accrued
hereunder  and under any other Loan  Document,  shall become  forthwith  due and
payable,  without presentment,  demand, protest or any other notice of any kind,
all of which are hereby  expressly  waived by the Borrower,  anything  contained
herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding,  and (iii)
make a drawing under each  outstanding  Letter of Credit in an aggregate  amount
for all such  Letters  of Credit  not in excess of the sum of (A) the  aggregate
amount then due and payable  hereunder in Dollars and (B) an amount  that,  when
converted  by the  Administrative  Agent to Local  Currency in  accordance  with
normal banking procedures,  is sufficient to discharge the aggregate amount then
due and payable  hereunder in Local Currency;  and, in any event with respect to
the Borrower  described in paragraph (f) or (g) above,  the  commitments  of the
Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall automatically  terminate, the principal of
the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all other
unpaid  liabilities of the Borrower  accrued  hereunder and under any other Loan
Document,  shall  automatically  become due and payable,  without present- ment,
demand,  protest  or any  other  notice of any  kind,  all of which  are  hereby
expressly waived by the Borrower, anything contained herein or in any other Loan
Document to the contrary notwithstanding,



                                      -38-




and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, shall make
a drawing  under  each  outstanding  Letter of  Credit in the  aggregate  amount
referred to above.


ARTICLE VIII.  THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

          In order to expedite the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,
each of the Lenders and each  assignee  of any such  Lender  hereby  irrevocably
designates  and  appoints  the  Administrative  Agent as its  agent  under  this
Agreement and each other Loan Document and authorizes the  Administrative  Agent
to take such actions on behalf of such Lender or assignee  and to exercise  such
powers as are specifically  delegated to the  Administrative  Agent by the terms
and  provisions  hereof  and of the other  Loan  Documents,  together  with such
actions and powers as are  reasonably  incidental  thereto.  The  Administrative
Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility except those expressly set forth
in this Agreement and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties,
obligations  or  liabilities  shall be read into any Loan  Document or otherwise
against the Administrative Agent.

          Neither the Administrative  Agent nor any of its directors,  officers,
employees  or agents  shall be liable as such for any action taken or omitted by
any of them except for its or his own gross negligence or wilful misconduct,  or
be  responsible  for any  statement,  warranty or  representation  herein or the
contents of any document  delivered in  connection  herewith,  or be required to
ascertain or to make any inquiry concerning the performance or observance by the
Borrower of any of the terms,  conditions,  covenants or agreements contained in
any Loan  Document.  The  Administrative  Agent shall not be  responsible to the
Lenders  for  the  due  execution,  genuineness,   validity,  enforceability  or
effectiveness of this Agreement or any other Loan Documents or other instruments
or agreements. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in
acting,  or  refraining  from acting,  in accordance  with written  instructions
signed by the Required  Lenders and, except as otherwise  specifically  provided
herein,  such  instructions and any action or inaction pursuant thereto shall be
binding on all the Lenders.  The  Administrative  Agent shall, in the absence of
knowledge to the  contrary,  be entitled to rely on any  instrument  or document
believed  by it in good faith to be genuine  and correct and to have been signed
or sent by the proper person or persons.  Neither the  Administrative  Agent nor
any  of  its   directors,   officers,   employees   or  agents  shall  have  any
responsibility  to the  Borrower  on  account  of the  failure  of or  delay  in
performance  or breach by any Lender of any of its  obligations  hereunder or to
any Lender on account of the failure of or delay in performance or breach by any
other Lender or the Borrower of any of their respective obligations hereunder or
under any other Loan  Document  or in  connection  herewith  or  therewith.  The
Administrative  Agent may  execute  any and all duties  hereunder  by or through
agents or  employees  and  shall be  entitled  to rely upon the  advice of legal
counsel  selected by it with respect to all matters arising  hereunder and shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it in accordance
with the  advice  of such  counsel.  The  Lenders  hereby  acknowledge  that the
Administrative  Agent  shall be under no duty to take any  discretionary  action
permitted to be taken by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement  unless
it shall be requested in writing to do so by the Required Lenders.

          With  respect to the Loans made by it  hereunder,  the  Administrative
Agent in its individual capacity and not as Administrative  Agent shall have the
same rights and powers as any other  Lender and may  exercise the same as though
it were not the  Administrative  Agent,  and the  Administrative  Agent  and its
Affiliates may accept deposits from,  lend money to and generally  engage in any
kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate  thereof
as if it were not the Administrative Agent.

          Each Lender  agrees (a) to  reimburse  the  Administrative  Agent,  on
demand,  in the amount of its pro rata  share  (based on its  outstanding  Loans
hereunder)  of any  expenses  incurred  for the  benefit  of the  Lenders by the
Administrative  Agent,  including  counsel fees and  compensation  of agents and
employees paid for services  rendered on behalf of the Lenders,  which shall not
have been  reimbursed by the Borrower and (b) to indemnify and hold harmless the
Administrative Agent and any of its directors, officers, employees or agents, on
demand, in the amount of such pro rata share, from


                                      -39-




and  against  any and all  liabilities,  taxes,  obligations,  losses,  damages,
penalties,  actions,  judgments,  suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any
kind or nature  whatsoever  which may be imposed  on,  incurred  by or  asserted
against it in its capacity as the Administrative Agent or any of them in any way
relating to or arising out of this  Agreement or any other Loan  Document or any
action  taken or omitted by it or any of them under this  Agreement or any other
Loan  Document,  to the extent the same  shall not have been  reimbursed  by the
Borrower;  provided that no Lender shall be liable to the  Administrative  Agent
for any portion of such liabilities,  obligations,  losses, damages,  penalties,
actions,  judgments,  suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from the
gross negligence or wilful misconduct of the Administrative  Agent or any of its
directors, officers, employees or agents.

          Each  Lender  acknowledges  that it  has,  independently  and  without
reliance  upon the  Administrative  Agent or any other  Lender and based on such
documents  and  information  as it has deemed  appropriate,  made its own credit
analysis  and  decision  to  enter  into  this   Agreement.   Each  Lender  also
acknowledges  that  it  will,   independently  and  without  reliance  upon  the
Administrative  Agent  or any  other  Lender  and  based on such  documents  and
information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its
own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this  Agreement
or any other Loan  Document,  any related  agreement or any  document  furnished
hereunder or thereunder.


ARTICLE IX.  MISCELLANEOUS

          SECTION 9.01. Notices.  Notices and other communications  provided for
herein shall be in writing and shall be  delivered by hand or overnight  courier
service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

          (a) if to the Borrower,  to it at UCAR Global Enterprises Inc., 39 Old
     Ridgebury  Road,  Danbury,  CT  06817-0001,  Attention  of Chief  Financial
     Officer (Telecopy No. (203) 277-7780), and if to UCAR, to it in care of the
     Borrower;

          (b) if to the  Administrative  Agent,  to The Loan and Agency Services
     Group,  8th floor,  One Chase  Manhattan  Plaza,  New York,  New York 10081
     Attention: [ ] (Telecopy No. (212) [ ]); and

          (c) if to a Lender,  to it at its  address  (or  telecopy  number) set
     forth in Schedule  2.01 or in the  Assignment  and  Acceptance  pursuant to
     which such Lender shall have become a party hereto.

All notices and other  communications  given to any party  hereto in  accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement  shall be deemed to have been given on the
date of receipt if  delivered by hand or  overnight  courier  service or sent by
telecopy  or on the date five  Business  Days after  dispatch  by  certified  or
registered  mail if mailed,  in each case  delivered,  sent or mailed  (properly
addressed) to such party as provided in this Section 9.01 or in accordance  with
the latest  unrevoked  direction  from such party given in accordance  with this
Section 9.01.

          SECTION  9.02.  Survival  of  Agreement.  All  covenants,  agreements,
representations   and  warranties  made  by  the  Borrower  herein  and  in  the
certificates  or other  instruments  prepared or delivered in connection with or
pursuant to this  Agreement or any other Loan  Document  shall be  considered to
have been relied upon by the Lenders and shall survive the making by the Lenders
of the Loans,  regardless of any  investigation  made by the Lenders or on their
behalf,  and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of
or any  accrued  interest  on any Loan or any other  amount  payable  under this
Agreement or any other Loan  Document is  outstanding  and unpaid and so long as
the commitments of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder have not been terminated.
Without  prejudice to the  survival of any other  agreements  contained  herein,
indemnification and reimbursement



                                      -40-



obligations  contained herein  (including  pursuant to Sections 2.12, 2.14, 2.18
and 9.05)  shall  survive  the  payment in full of the  principal  and  interest
hereunder and the termination of such commitments or this Agreement.

          SECTION 9.03.  Binding Effect.  This Agreement shall become  effective
when it shall have been  executed by the Borrower and the  Administrative  Agent
and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which,
when taken  together,  bear the signatures of each of the other parties  hereto,
and  thereafter  shall be binding  upon and inure to the  benefit of the parties
hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

          SECTION 9.04.  Successors and Assigns.  (a) Whenever in this Agreement
any of the parties  hereto is referred  to,  such  reference  shall be deemed to
include the permitted  successors and assigns of such party;  and all covenants,
promises and  agreements  by or on behalf of the  Borrower,  the  Administrative
Agent or the Lenders that are contained in this  Agreement  shall bind and inure
to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.

          (b) Each Lender may assign to one or more  assignees  all or a portion
of its interests,  rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or
a portion of the Loans at the time  owing to it);  provided,  however,  that (i)
except in the case of an  assignment  to another  Lender or an Affiliate of such
Lender,  each of the  Administrative  Agent and the Borrower must give its prior
written  consent to such  assignment  (which  consents shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed), (ii) except in the case of an assignment to another Lender
or an Affiliate of such Lender,  the amount of the Loans of the assigning Lender
subject  to each  such  assignment  (determined  as of the date  notice  of such
assignment  is  delivered  to the  Administrative  Agent) shall not be less than
$5,000,000, and, unless the assignor ceases to be a Lender, the aggregate amount
of the Loans owing to such Lender after giving effect to such  assignment  shall
be not less than $5,000,000 and (iii) the parties to each such assignment  shall
execute and deliver to the Administrative  Agent an Assignment and Acceptance in
form satisfactory to the Administrative  Agent (an "Assignment and Acceptance").
Upon  acceptance  and recording  pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section 9.04,
from and after the effective date specified in each  Assignment and  Acceptance,
which  effective  date shall be at least five  Business Days after the execution
thereof,  (A) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent
of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance,  have the rights and
obligations  of a Lender  under  this  Agreement  and (B) the  assigning  Lender
thereunder  shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and
Acceptance,  be released from its obligations  under this Agreement (and, in the
case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an
assigning  Lender's  rights and obligations  under this  Agreement,  such Lender
shall  cease to be a party  hereto  but shall  continue  to be  entitled  to the
benefits of Sections 2.12, 2.14, 2.18 and 9.05).

          (c) By executing  and  delivering an Assignment  and  Acceptance,  the
assigning  Lender  thereunder  and the  assignee  thereunder  shall be deemed to
confirm to and agree with each other and the other  parties  hereto as  follows:
(i) such assigning  Lender warrants that it is the legal and beneficial owner of
the interest being assigned thereby free and clear of any adverse claim and that
the  outstanding  balances of its Loans,  in each case without  giving effect to
assignments  thereof which have not become  effective,  are as set forth in such
Assignment and Acceptance; (ii) except as set forth in (i) above, such assigning
Lender makes no representation  or warranty and assumes no  responsibility  with
respect  to  any  statements,  warranties  or  representations  made  in  or  in
connection  with  this  Agreement,   or  the  execution,   legality,   validity,
enforceability,  genuineness,  sufficiency or value of this Agreement, any other
Loan Document or any other instrument or document  furnished pursuant hereto, or
the financial  condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or the performance or
observance  by the Borrower or any  Subsidiary of any of its  obligations  under
this  Agreement,  any other Loan  Document or any other  instrument  or document
furnished pursuant hereto;  (iii) such assignee  represents and warrants that it
is legally  authorized to enter into such Assignment and  Acceptance;  (iv) such
assignee  confirms that it has received a copy of this  Agreement and such other
documents and  information  as it has deemed  appropriate to make its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and


                                      -41-




Acceptance;  (v) such assignee will  independently and without reliance upon the
Administrative  Agent,  such  assigning  Lender or any other Lender and based on
such  documents  and  information  as it shall  deem  appropriate  at the  time,
continue to make its own credit  decisions in taking or not taking  action under
this Agreement;  (vi) such assignee  appoints and authorizes the  Administrative
Agent to take such  action as agent on its behalf and to  exercise  such  powers
under this Agreement as are delegated to the  Administrative  Agent by the terms
hereof,  together with such powers as are  reasonably  incidental  thereto;  and
(vii) such assignee  agrees that it will perform in accordance  with their terms
all the  obligations  which by the terms of this  Agreement  are  required to be
performed by it as a Lender.

          (d) The Administrative  Agent,  acting for this purpose as an agent of
the  Borrower,  shall  maintain  at one of its  offices  in [ ] a copy  of  each
Assignment and Acceptance  delivered to it and a register (the  "Register")  for
the  recordation  of the names and  addresses of the Lenders,  and the principal
amount of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time
to time.  The entries in the  Register  shall be  conclusive,  in the absence of
manifest error, and the Borrower,  the Administrative  Agent and the Lenders may
treat each person whose name is recorded in the  Register  pursuant to the terms
hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding
notice to the contrary.  The Register  shall be available for  inspection by the
Borrower  and any  Lender,  at any  reasonable  time and from  time to time upon
reasonable prior notice.

          (e) Upon its receipt of a duly  completed  Assignment  and  Acceptance
executed by an assigning  Lender and an assignee  and, if required,  the written
consent of the Administrative Agent to such assignment, the Administrative Agent
shall (i) accept such  Assignment and  Acceptance,  (ii) record the  information
contained  therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt  notice  thereof to the
Lenders.   Notwithstanding   anything  to  the  contrary  contained  herein,  no
assignment under Section 9.04(b) of any rights or obligations shall be effective
unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph (e).

          (f) Each  Lender  may  without  the  consent  of the  Borrower  or the
Administrative  Agent sell participations to one or more banks or other entities
in  all  or a  portion  of its  rights  and  obligations  under  this  Agreement
(including all or a portion of the Loans owing to it); provided,  however,  that
(i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged,  (ii)
such Lender shall remain solely  responsible to the other parties hereto for the
performance of such obligations, (iii) the participating banks or other entities
shall be entitled to the benefit of the cost protection  provisions contained in
Sections 2.12,  2.14,  2.18 and 9.06 to the same extent as if they were Lenders;
provided that no such  participating bank or entity shall be entitled to receive
any greater  amount  pursuant  to such  Sections  than a Lender  would have been
entitled to receive in respect of the amount of the  participation  sold by such
Lender to such participating  bank or entity had no sale occurred,  and (iv) the
Borrower,  the Administrative Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal
solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's rights and
obligations under this Agreement, and such Lender shall retain the sole right to
enforce the obligations of the Borrower relating to the Loans and to approve any
amendment,  modification  or waiver of any  provision  of this  Agreement or any
other Loan Document (other than amendments,  modifications or waivers decreasing
the amount of principal of or the rate at which interest is payable on the Loans
or extending the Maturity Date).

          (g) Any Lender or participant  may, in connection  with any assignment
or  participation  or  proposed  assignment  or  participation  pursuant to this
Section 9.04,  disclose to the assignee or participant  or proposed  assignee or
participant any information relating to the Borrower furnished to such Lender by
or on behalf of the Borrower;  provided  that,  prior to any such  disclosure of
information  designated by the Borrower as  confidential,  each such assignee or
participant  or proposed  assignee or  participant  shall  execute an  agreement
whereby such assignee or participant shall agree to be bound by Section 9.18.



                                      -42-



          (h) The  Borrower  shall not assign or  delegate  any of its rights or
duties hereunder without the prior written consent of the  Administrative  Agent
and each Lender, and any attempted assignment without such consent shall be null
and void.

          SECTION 9.05. Expenses;  Indemnity. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay all
reasonable  out-of-pocket  expenses  incurred  by the  Administrative  Agent  in
connection  with the preparation of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents,
or by the Administrative  Agent in connection with the syndication of the credit
facility  established hereby or the administration of this Agreement  (including
expenses  incurred  in  connection  with due  diligence  and initial and ongoing
collateral examination to the extent incurred with the reasonable prior approval
of the Borrower) or in connection with any amendments,  modifications or waivers
of the  provisions  hereof or thereof  (whether or not the  transactions  hereby
contemplated  shall be consummated) or incurred by the  Administrative  Agent or
any Lender in connection  with the  enforcement or protection of their rights in
connection  with this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents or in connection
with the Loans made  hereunder,  including  the  reasonable  fees,  charges  and
disbursements of counsel for the  Administrative  Agent, and, in connection with
any  such  enforcement  or  protection,   the  reasonable   fees,   charges  and
disbursements of any other counsel (including the reasonable  allocated costs of
internal  counsel if a Lender elects to use internal  counsel in lieu of outside
counsel) for the  Administrative  Agent or any Lender (but no more than one such
counsel for any Lender).

          (b) The Borrower agrees to indemnify the  Administrative  Agent,  each
Lender and each of their respective  directors,  officers,  employees and agents
(each  such  person  being  called an  "Indemnitee")  against,  and to hold each
Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims,  damages,  liabilities and
related expenses,  including reasonable counsel fees, charges and disbursements,
incurred  by or  asserted  against  any  Indemnitee  arising  out of, in any way
connected  with,  or as a  result  of (i)  the  execution  or  delivery  of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated
hereby or thereby,  the  performance  by the parties hereto and thereto of their
respective  obligations  thereunder or the  consummation of the Transactions and
the other  transactions  contemplated  hereby and  thereby,  (ii) the use of the
proceeds  of  the  Loans  or  (iii)  any  claim,  litigation,  investigation  or
proceeding relating to any of the foregoing,  whether or not any Indemnitee is a
party thereto;  provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be
available  to the extent  that such  losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities  or
related  expenses are determined by a court of competent  jurisdiction  by final
and nonappealable  judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or wilful
misconduct  of  such   Indemnitee   (treating,   for  this  purpose  only,   the
Administrative Agent or any Lender and its directors,  officers and employees as
a single  Indemnitee).  Subject to and without  limiting the  generality  of the
foregoing  sentence,  the Borrower agrees to indemnify each Indemnitee  against,
and hold each Indemnitee  harmless from, any Environmental Claim relating to the
Borrower or any of its subsidiaries,  and any and all losses,  claims,  damages,
liabilities and related  expenses,  including  reasonable  counsel or consultant
fees, charges and disbursements,  incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee
(and arising out of, or in any way connected  with or as a result of, any of the
events described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence) arising
out of, in any way connected with, or as a result of (A) any Environmental Claim
related in any way to the Borrower or any  subsidiary of the  Borrower,  (B) any
violation of any Environmental Law, (C) any act, omission, event or circumstance
(including  the actual,  proposed or  threatened,  release,  removal,  presence,
disposition,   discharge  or  transportation,   storage,   holding,   existence,
generation,  processing, abatement, handling or presence on, into, from or under
any present,  past or future  property of the Borrower or any  subsidiary of the
Borrower of any Hazardous Material);  provided that such indemnity shall not, as
to any Indemnitee,  be available to the extent that such Environmental Claim is,
or  such,  losses,  claims,  damages,   liabilities  or  related  expenses  are,
determined  by a court of  competent  jurisdiction  by final  and  nonappealable
judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of such
Indemnitee or any of its  directors,  officers or employees.  The  provisions of
this Section 9.05 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless
of the  expiration  of the  term  of this  Agreement,  the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby,  the  repayment  of any of  the  Loans,  the
invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision of this Agreement or any
other Loan Document,



                                      -43-




or any  investigation  made by or on behalf of the  Administrative  Agent or any
Lender.  All  amounts  due under this  Section  9.05 shall be payable on written
demand therefor.

          (c) The Borrower shall be entitled to assume the defense of any action
for which  indemnification is sought hereunder with counsel of its choice at its
expense (in which case the Borrower shall not thereafter be responsible  for the
fees and expenses of any separate  counsel  retained by an Indemnitee  except as
set forth  below);  provided,  however,  that such counsel  shall be  reasonably
satisfactory to each such Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the Borrower's election to
assume  the  defense of such  action,  each  Indemnitee  shall have the right to
employ  separate  counsel and to participate in the defense of such action,  and
the Borrower shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate
counsel,  if (i) the use of counsel  chosen by the  Borrower to  represent  such
Indemnitee  would  present such  counsel  with a conflict of interest;  (ii) the
actual or potential  defendants  in, or targets of, any such action include both
the Borrower  and such  Indemnitee  and such  Indemnitee  shall have  reasonably
concluded  that there may be legal  defenses  available to it that are different
from or  additional  to those  available  to the  Borrower  (in  which  case the
Borrower shall not have the right to assume the defense or such action on behalf
of such  Indemnitee);  (iii)  the  Borrower  shall  not  have  employed  counsel
reasonably  satisfactory  to such Indemnitee to represent it within a reasonable
time after notice of the institution of such action;  or (iv) the Borrower shall
authorize such Indemnitee to employ separate counsel at the Borrower's  expense.
The Borrower  will not be liable under this  Agreement for any amount paid by an
Indemnitee  to settle any claims or actions if the  settlement  is entered  into
without the Borrower's  consent,  which consent may not be withheld  unless such
settlement  is  unreasonable  in light of such  claims or actions  against,  and
defenses available to, such Indemnitee.

          (d)  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary in this  Section  9.05,
this  Section  9.05  shall  not  apply to taxes,  it being  understood  that the
Borrower's  only  obligations  with respect to taxes shall arise under  Sections
2.12 and 2.18.

          SECTION  9.06.  Right of  Setoff.  If an Event of  Default  shall have
occurred and be  continuing,  each Lender is hereby  authorized  at any time and
from time to time, to the fullest extent  permitted by law, to set off and apply
any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand,  provisional or final)
at any time held and other  indebtedness  at any time owing by such Lender to or
for  the  credit  or the  account  of the  Borrower  against  any of and all the
obligations  of the Borrower now or hereafter  existing  under this Agreement or
any other Loan Document held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such
Lender  shall  have made any  demand  under  this  Agreement  or such other Loan
Document and although  such  obligations  may be  unmatured.  The rights of each
Lender  under this  Section  9.06 are in addition to other  rights and  remedies
(including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

          SECTION  9.07.  Applicable  Law.  THIS  AGREEMENT  AND THE OTHER  LOAN
DOCUMENTS  (OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS)  SHALL BE
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF [ ].

          SECTION  9.08.  Waivers;  Amendment.  (a) No  failure  or delay of the
Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any power or right hereunder or
under any Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof,  nor shall any single
or  partial  exercise  of  any  such  right  or  power,  or any  abandonment  or
discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power,  preclude any other or
further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights
and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder and under the
other Loan  Documents  are  cumulative  and are not  exclusive  of any rights or
remedies  which they would  otherwise  have.  No waiver of any provision of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower
therefrom shall in any event be effective  unless the same shall be permitted by
paragraph (b) below,  and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in
the specific instance and for the purpose for



                                      -44-



which given.  No notice or demand on the Borrower in any case shall  entitle the
Borrower  to any  other  or  further  notice  or  demand  in  similar  or  other
circumstances.

          (b) Neither this  Agreement  nor any  provision  hereof may be waived,
amended or modified  except  pursuant to an agreement or  agreements  in writing
entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders;  provided,  however, that
no such  agreement  shall (i)  decrease the  principal  amount of, or extend the
maturity of any Loan,  or waive or excuse any such payment or any part  thereof,
or decrease the rate of interest on any Loan,  without the prior written consent
of each Lender directly affected thereby, or (ii) amend or modify the provisions
of Section 2.15,  the  provisions  of this  Sections  9.08 or the  definition of
"Required Lenders",  without the prior written consent of each Lender;  provided
further  that no such  agreement  shall amend,  modify or  otherwise  affect the
rights or duties of the  Administrative  Agent hereunder or under any other Loan
Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.

          SECTION  9.09.  Interest  Rate  Limitation.  Notwithstanding  anything
herein to the contrary,  if at any time the applicable  interest rate,  together
with all fees and charges  which are treated as interest  under  applicable  law
(collectively  the  "Charges"),  as provided for herein or in any other document
executed in connection herewith, or otherwise contracted for, charged, received,
taken or  reserved  by any Lender,  shall  exceed the  maximum  lawful rate (the
"Maximum  Rate")  which may be  contracted  for,  charged,  taken,  received  or
reserved by such Lender in accordance  with applicable law, the rate of interest
payable  hereunder,  together with all Charges payable to such Lender,  shall be
limited to the Maximum  Rate;  provided that such excess amount shall be paid to
such Lender on  subsequent  payment  dates to the extent not exceeding the legal
limitation.

          SECTION 9.10.  Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement,  the Notes and the
other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract between the parties relative
to the subject matter hereof.  Any previous  agreement among or  representations
from the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof is superseded by this
Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents.  Nothing in this  Agreement  or in the
other Loan Documents, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any party
other than the parties hereto and thereto any rights,  remedies,  obligations or
liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents.

          SECTION 9.11.  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES,
TO THE FULLEST  EXTENT  PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE  LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A
TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY  LITIGATION  DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY  ARISING OUT
OF,  UNDER  OR IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THIS  AGREEMENT  OR ANY OF THE  OTHER  LOAN
DOCUMENTS.  EACH PARTY HERETO (A)  CERTIFIES  THAT NO  REPRESENTATIVE,  AGENT OR
ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED,  EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE,  THAT SUCH
OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING
WAIVER  AND (B)  ACKNOWLEDGES  THAT IT AND THE OTHER  PARTIES  HERETO  HAVE BEEN
INDUCED  TO  ENTER  INTO  THIS  AGREEMENT  AND  THE  OTHER  LOAN  DOCUMENTS,  AS
APPLICABLE,  BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS,  THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND  CERTIFICATIONS  IN
THIS SECTION 9.11.

          SECTION  9.12.  Severability.  In the  event  any  one or  more of the
provisions  contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document  should be
held invalid,  illegal or unenforceable in any respect,  the validity,  legality
and  enforceability  of the remaining  provisions  contained  herein and therein
shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. The parties shall endeavor
in  good-faith  negotiations  to replace the invalid,  illegal or  unenforceable
provisions with valid  provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as
possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.




                                      -45-




          SECTION  9.13.  Counterparts.   This  Agreement  may  be  executed  in
counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different  counterparts),  each
of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall
constitute a single contract,  and shall become effective as provided in Section
9.03.

          SECTION 9.14. Headings.  Article and Section headings and the Table of
Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this
Agreement  and are not to  affect  the  construction  of,  or to be  taken  into
consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

          SECTION  9.15.  Jurisdiction;  Consent to Service of Process.  [SUPPLY
APPLICABLE PROVISIONS].

          SECTION  9.16.  Conversion of  Currencies.  (a) If, for the purpose of
obtaining  judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder
or under any other Loan  Document in one currency  (the  "Obligation  Currency")
into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they
may legally and  effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that
at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the  Administrative  Agent
could purchase the Obligation Currency with such other currency in New York, New
York, on the Business Day immediately  preceding the day on which final judgment
is given.

          (b) The obligations of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in respect of
any sum due to the  Administrative  Agent or any Lender  hereunder  or under any
other Loan Document in any Obligation Currency shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable  law,  notwithstanding  any  judgment  in a  currency  other than the
Obligation  Currency,  be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day
following receipt of any sum adjudged to be so due in the judgment currency, the
Administrative  Agent or such  Lender  may in  accordance  with  normal  banking
procedures  purchase the Obligation Currency in the amount originally due to the
Administrative Agent or such Lender with the judgment currency. If the amount of
the Obligation  Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the
Administrative  Agent  or  such  Lender,  the  Borrower  agrees,  as a  separate
obligation   and   notwithstanding   any  such   judgment,   to  indemnify   the
Administrative Agent or such Lender against the resulting loss.

          SECTION  9.17.  Subrogation.  In the event that any  obligation of any
Loan Party under this  Agreement or any other Loan  Document (a "Claim") is paid
with the proceeds of an L/C Disbursement, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent
and the  Lenders  hereby  agree for the  benefit of the  Fronting  Banks and the
Lenders  under the U.S.  Credit  Agreement  that Lenders  under the U.S.  Credit
Agreement holding  Obligations in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the
Lenders' participations in such L/C Disbursement under the U.S. Credit Agreement
shall be  subrogated to the rights of the  Administrative  Agent and the Lenders
hereunder and under each other Loan Document in respect of such Claim;  provided
that such  right of  subrogation  shall  not be  effective  until,  and shall be
subordinated to, payment in full of all the Claims.

          SECTION   9.18.   Confidentiality.   Each  of  the   Lenders  and  the
Administrative Agent agrees that it shall maintain in confidence any information
relating to UCAR,  the  Borrower and the  Subsidiaries  furnished to it by or on
behalf of UCAR, the Borrower or the  Subsidiaries  (other than  information that
(a) has become  generally  available  to the public  other than as a result of a
disclosure by such party, (b) has been independently developed by such Lender or
the  Administrative  Agent  without  violating  this  Section  9.18  or (c)  was
available to such Lender or the Administrative  Agent from a third party having,
to such person's  knowledge,  no  obligations  of  confidentiality  to UCAR, the
Borrower or any  Subsidiary) and shall not reveal the same other than (i) to its
directors,  officers,  employees  and  advisors  with a need to know and (ii) as
contemplated by Section 9.04(g),  except:  (A) to the extent necessary to comply
with law or any legal process or the requirements of any Governmental  Authority
or of any securities exchange on which securities of the disclosing party or any
Affiliate of the  disclosing  party are listed or traded,  (B) as part of normal
reporting or review procedures to



                                      -46-




Governmental Authorities or its parent companies, Affiliates or auditors and (C)
in order to enforce its rights under any Loan Document in a legal proceeding.

          SECTION 9.19. Release of Security Documents.  The Administrative Agent
and the Lenders (and the Fronting  Banks and the Lenders  under the U.S.  Credit
Agreement and other  beneficiaries  of the Loan Documents) agree that all liens,
guarantees and other  obligations  of the Borrower and its Affiliates  under the
Security  Documents shall  automatically and immediately be released but only to
the extent and in the event that the Borrower notifies the Administrative  Agent
that the  Borrower has been  advised by  competent  counsel  that such  Security
Document or the Borrower's or an Affiliate's  obligations  thereunder either (a)
violate or contravene any applicable law or regulation or the  interpretation or
administration   thereof  by  any  Governmental   Authority   charged  with  the
administration  or  interpretation  thereof  (whether or not having the force of
law)  or (b)  result  in a  material  claim  for  any  taxes,  levies,  imposts,
deductions, charges or withholding against the Borrower or any of its Affiliates
under any applicable law or regulation or the  interpretation  or administration
thereof  by any  Governmental  Authority  charged  with  the  administration  or
interpretation  thereof (whether or not having the force of law), other than any
stamp or  documentary  taxes or any other excise or property  taxes,  charges or
similar levies which arise from the execution,  delivery or registration  of, or
otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

          SECTION 9.20.  Release of Liens and Guarantees.  In the event that the
Borrower or any  subsidiary of the Borrower  conveys,  sells,  leases,  assigns,
transfers  or  otherwise  disposes of all or any portion of any of the assets or
property of the  Borrower or any Capital  Stock,  assets or property of any such
subsidiary in a transaction  not  prohibited by Section 6.05 of the U.S.  Credit
Agreement,  the  Administrative  Agent shall  promptly  (and the Lenders  hereby
authorize  the  Administrative  Agent to) take such  action and execute any such
documents as may be reasonably  requested by the Borrower and at the  Borrower's
expense to release  any Liens  created by any Loan  Document  in respect of such
assets or  property,  including  the release and  satisfaction  of record of any
mortgage or deed of trust granted in connection herewith[, and, in the case of a
disposition  of all the  Capital  Stock or assets of  [SPECIFY  ANY  GUARANTOR],
terminate  such  Subsidiary's  obligations  under its Guarantee  Agreement].  In
addition, the Administrative Agent agrees to take such actions as are reasonably
requested by the Borrower and at the  Borrower's  expense to terminate the Liens
and security  interests  created by the Loan Documents when all the  Obligations
are paid in full (other than with the proceeds of Tranche A Reimbursement  Loans
or of a drawing  under a Tranche  A Letter  of  Credit or in  connection  with a
reallocation  under  Section  2.10(b)  of the  U.S.  Credit  Agreement)  and all
commitments  of  the  Lenders  to  make  Loans  hereunder  are  terminated.  Any
representation,  warranty or covenant contained in any Loan Document relating to
any such Capital Stock,  assets or property shall no longer be deemed to be made
once such Capital Stock, assets or property is conveyed, sold, leased, assigned,
transferred or disposed of.



                                      -47-




                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have  caused  this
Agreement to be duly executed by their respective  authorized officers as of the
day and year first above written.


                         [BORROWER],

                            by
                               -------------------------
                               Name:
                               Title:


                         [             ], individually and as Administrative
                         Agent,

                            by
                               -------------------------
                               Name:
                               Title:


                         (OTHER LENDERS),

                            by
                               -------------------------
                               Name:
                               Title:




                                      -48-




                               [Form of Tranche A]
                                                                       EXHIBIT C
                                                  TO THE EFFECTIVENESS AGREEMENT
                                LETTER OF CREDIT

BENEFICIARY:  [NAME OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT]


WE HEREBY ESTABLISH OUR IRREVOCABLE STANDBY LETTER OF  CREDIT
NO. [ ] BY ORDER OF [ACCOUNT  PARTY] (THE "ACCOUNT  PARTY") IN YOUR FAVOR FOR AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED  U.S.  DOLLARS [ ] (THE  "STATED  AMOUNT").  THIS LETTER OF
CREDIT  EXPIRES  [INSERT DATE THAT IS NO LATER THAN THE FIRST BUSINESS DAY PRIOR
TO [DECEMBER 31, 2001] AT THE COUNTERS OF THE CHASE  MANHATTAN  BANK,  NEW YORK,
NEW YORK.

THE STATED AMOUNT MAY BE REDUCED FROM TIME TO TIME BY PRESENTATION OF A
DATED STATEMENT PURPORTEDLY SIGNED BY YOU AND THE ACCOUNT PARTY IN THE
FOLLOWING FORM:

"THE STATED AMOUNT UNDER THE CHASE  MANHATTAN  BANK LETTER OF CREDIT NO. [ ] IS,
EFFECTIVE AS OF THE DATE HEREOF,  HEREBY REDUCED BY $______________ SO THAT FROM
AND AFTER THE DATE HEREOF THE STATED AMOUNT SHALL BE EQUAL TO $______________."

AN AMOUNT UP TO THE STATED  AMOUNT  UNDER THIS LETTER OF CREDIT IS  AVAILABLE TO
YOU IN A SINGLE DRAWING AGAINST PRESENTATION OF YOUR DRAFT AT SIGHT DRAWN ON THE
CHASE  MANHATTAN  BANK,  NEW  YORK,  NEW YORK,  AND  ACCOMPANIED  BY YOUR  DATED
STATEMENT PURPORTEDLY SIGNED BY ONE OF YOUR OFFICIALS IN THE FOLLOWING FORM:

"THE AMOUNT OF THIS  DRAWING OF U.S.  DOLLARS  $_______________  UNDER THE CHASE
MANHATTAN  BANK LETTER OF CREDIT NO. [ ] REPRESENTS  OUTSTANDING  OBLIGATIONS OF
[ACCOUNT PARTY] UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT [DESCRIBE CREDIT AGREEMENT] WHICH ARE
DUE AND OWING TO US AT THIS TIME. WE HEREBY REPRESENT AND WARRANT TO YOU THAT AN
EVENT OF DEFAULT HAS OCCURRED AND IS CONTINUING  UNDER THE CREDIT  AGREEMENT AND
THAT THIS  DRAWING  IS BEING  MADE AS  PROVIDED  IN  ARTICLE  VII OF THE  CREDIT
AGREEMENT."

IN THE  EVENT OF A DRAWING  ON US VIA  AUTHENTICATED  TELETRANSMISSION,  A SIGHT
DRAFT ON US IS NOT REQUIRED.


                                      -49-



PRESENTATION  OF NOTICES AND DRAWINGS UNDER THIS LETTER OF CREDIT MAY BE MADE BY
FACSIMILE  TRANSMISSION OF THE ABOVE REQUIRED  STATEMENT TOGETHER WITH THE SIGHT
DRAFT DRAWN ON US TO OUR  FACSIMILE  NUMBER [ ]  ATTENTION:  [ ],  CONFIRMED  IN
WRITING VIA SAME DAY OVERNIGHT  MAIL OR  AUTHENTICATED  TELETRANSMISSION  TO THE
ABOVE ATTENTION PARTY.

WE HEREBY AGREE WITH YOU THAT IF DOCUMENTS ARE PRESENTED TO THE CHASE  MANHATTAN
BANK UNDER THIS LETTER OF CREDIT AT OR PRIOR TO 11:00 A.M.  NEW YORK TIME,  ON A
BUSINESS DAY, AND PROVIDED THAT SUCH DOCUMENTS  PRESENTED CONFORM WITH THE TERMS
AND  CONDITIONS  OF THIS  LETTER OF CREDIT,  PAYMENT  SHALL BE EFFECTED BY US IN
IMMEDIATELY  AVAILABLE  FUNDS BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON SUCH  BUSINESS DAY. IF
DOCUMENTS ARE PRESENTED TO THE CHASE  MANHATTAN BANK UNDER THIS LETTER OF CREDIT
AFTER  11:00  A.M.  NEW YORK  TIME ON A  BUSINESS  DAY AND  PROVIDED  THAT  SUCH
DOCUMENTS  CONFORM  WITH THE  TERMS AND  CONDITIONS  OF THIS  LETTER OF  CREDIT,
PAYMENT SHALL BE EFFECTED BY US IN IMMEDIATELY  AVAILABLE FUNDS ON THE FOLLOWING
BUSINESS  DAY. AS USED IN THIS LETTER OF CREDIT,  "BUSINESS  DAY" SHALL MEAN ANY
DAY OTHER THAN A SATURDAY,  SUNDAY OR A DAY ON WHICH BANKING INSTITUTIONS IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK ARE AUTHORIZED OR REQUIRED BY LAW TO CLOSE.

PLEASE DIRECT ALL CORRESPONDENCE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS LETTER OF CREDIT
TO OUR STANDBY LETTER OF CREDIT DEPARTMENT LOCATED AT
[                                    ], NEW YORK, NEW YORK [   ] ATTENTION: [ ].
TELEPHONIC INQUIRIES MAY BE ADDRESSED TO US AT [            ].

WE HEREBY ENGAGE WITH THE DRAWERS,  ENDORSERS, AND/OR BONA FIDE HOLDERS THAT ALL
DRAFTS  DRAWN  UNDER AND IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH THE TERMS OF THIS LETTER OF CREDIT
WILL BE DULY HONORED UPON PRESENTATION TO US.

WE HEREBY ISSUE THIS IRREVOCABLE STANDBY LETTER OF CREDIT IN YOUR FAVOR.  IT
IS SUBJECT TO THE UNIFORM CUSTOMS AND PRACTICE FOR DOCUMENTARY CREDITS
(1993 REVISION) INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF



                                      -50-



COMMERCE PUBLICATION NO. 500 ("UCP") AND ENGAGES US IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
TERMS THEREOF.   THE NUMBER, AND THE DATE OF OUR CREDIT AND THE NAME OF
OUR BANK MUST BE QUOTED ON ALL DRAFTS REQUIRED.


                                   THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,

                                   BY:______________________________________
                                      NAME:
                                      TITLE:


                                      -51-