Document:

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                            FIRST AMENDMENT TO LEASE

     The First Amendment to Lease is made this 19th day of March, 2001 by and
between PMP Whitemarsh Associates, a Pennsylvania Limited Partnership,
(hereinafter referred to as "Landlord") and Lithium Technology Corporation,
(hereinafter referred to as "Tenant").

     WHEREAS, Landlord and Hope Technologies, Inc., did enter into a Lease
Agreement and Addendum hereinafter referred to as the "Lease" thereto dated
July 22, 1994 for the use and occupancy of Certain Premises known as 5115
Campus Drive, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, (hereinafter referred to as the
"Premises"); and

     WHEREAS, Lithium Technology Corporation did become the successor to Hope
Technologies, Inc.; and

     WHEREAS, Landlord and Tenant have by letter agreements, dated May 4, 1999,
September 14, 1999, February 3, 2000 and December 22, 2000 extended the term of
the Lease Agreement; and

     WHEREAS, the lease does provide Tenant with the option to extend the term
for a period of five (5) years; and

     WHEREAS, Tenant has advised Landlord that it wishes to renew the lease for
only a two (2) year period; and

     WHEREAS, the Landlord is willing to grant such renewal; and

     WHEREAS, Landlord and Tenant do hereby intend to amend and modify the
Lease Agreement and addendum; and

     NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, conditions,
understanding, agreements, representations and other good and valuable
consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the
parties hereto, with the intent of being legally bound hereby agree as follows:
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     1.   TERM

          The term of the lease shall be extended for a period of two (2) years
commencing on April 1, 2001 and ending on March 31, 2003. The parties agree
that either may terminate this extension upon providing written notice of six
(6) months to the other party. The minimum annual rent, which will increase
during this renewal shall be as follows:

     2.   RENT

          The minimum amount rent for the premises shall be:

                                                   Base Month        Base Annual

     a. 1st Year         10.95 per foot            $11,169.00        $134,028.00
     b. 2nd Year         11.15 per foot            $11,373.00        $136,476.00

     3.   OPTION

          The Landlord and the Tenant agree that there shall be no option to
extend the term of the lease as set forth in paragraph 1 above, unless it is
extended in writing by mutual agreement of the parties.

     4.   RENT PAYMENT AND NOTICES

          Wherever in the Lease Agreement, addendum, or any amendments thereto,
reference is made to Tenant, such reference shall be to the present Tenant,
Lithium Technology Corporation. Further, whenever in the Lease Agreement on any
amendments thereto, it shall be required or permitted that notice or demand is
given or served by either party to this Lease to or on the other party, such
notice on demand shall be deemed to have been duly given or served or forwarded
by Registered Mail, postage prepaid or by a nationally recognized overnight
courier system and addressed as follows:

TO LANDLORD:                       WITH A COPY TO:

PMP WHITEMARSH ASSOCIATES          PATRICK G. MURPHY, ESQUIRE
P.O. BOX 797                       KELLEY & MURPHY
GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA 19437-0797      SUITE 160
                                   925 HARVEST DRIVE
ATTN:  CHARLES F. MURPHY           BLUE BELL, PA 19422

                                       2
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TO TENANT:

LITHIUM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
5115 CAMPUS DRIVE
PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA
ATTN:  DAVID CADE

     5.     EXECUTION OF DOCUMENT

            Tenant agrees that should it be acquired or merged into another
business that is will cause to be executed, any documents which Landlord
reasonably requires to confirm the Lease Agreement and any Amendment thereto.
Landlord acknowledges that Tenant has advised that it has entered into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger with Ilion Technology Corporation ("Ilion"),
formerly Pacific Lithium Limited, pursuant to which Tenant will be merged with
and into Ilion. Landlord further acknowledges and agrees that upon consummation
of the Merger, Ilion shall constitute the Tenant under the Lease and no further
consent of Landlord is required in connection with said Merger.

     6.   RATIFICATION OF LEASE AGREEMENT

          Except as expressly amended herein, all terms and conditions in
the Lease Agreement, as amended, shall remain in full force and effect without
change or modification and all such terms are hereby ratified and confirmed.

"LANDLORD"                               "TENANT"

PMP WHITEMARSH ASSOCIATES                LITHIUM TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

BY:  /s/ Charles Murphy                  BY:  /s/ David Cade
   ------------------------------           --------------------------------

WITNESSETH:                              ATTEST:
           ----------------------               ----------------------------
PMP Whitemarsh Associates
First Amendment to Lease
March 29, 2001<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10(a)

                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" and to the
use of our report dated March 23, 2001, with respect to the financial statements
of Separate Account VA-1 of The American Franklin Life Insurance Company and our
report dated February 2, 2001 (except Note 12, as to which the date is March 11,
2001) with respect to the financial statements of The American Franklin Life
Insurance Company in the Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-4 (No. 333-10489 and 811-7781) of the Separate Account VA-1
of the American Franklin Life Insurance Company.

                                                /s/  ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                                                --------------------------------
                                                     Ernst & Young LLP

Chicago, Illinois
April 20, 2001<PAGE>

AMERICAN
  |GENERAL
  |FINANCIAL GROUP
2929 ALLEN PARKWAY (A40-04), HOUSTON, TEXAS 77019

                                                     PAULETTA P. COHN
                                                     DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL
                                                     Direct Line (713) 831-1230
                                                     FAX  (713) 620-3878
                                                     E-mail: pcohn@aglife.com

                              April 17, 2001

The American Franklin Life Insurance Company
2727-A Allen Parkway
Houston, TX  77019

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

As Deputy General Counsel of American General Life Companies, I have acted as
counsel to The American Franklin Life Insurance Company (the "Company") in
connection with the filing of Post-effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-4, File Nos. 333-10489 and 811-7781 ("Registration
Statement") for Separate Account VA-1 ("Separate Account VA-1") of the Company
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Registration Statement relates
to the issuance of The Chairman (policy form No. T1575) combined fixed and
variable annuity contracts by the Company ("Contracts"). Net premiums received
under the Contracts are allocated by the Company to Separate Account VA-1 to the
extent directed by owners of the Contracts. Net premiums under other contracts
that may be issued by the Company may also be allocated to Separate Account VA-
1. The Contracts are designed to provide retirement protection and are to be
offered in the manner described in the prospectus and the prospectus supplements
included in the Registration Statement. The Contracts will be sold only in
jurisdictions authorizing such sales.

In connection with rendering this opinion, I have examined and am familiar with
originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of
the corporate records of the Company and all such other documents as I have
deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed herein.

                        American General Life Companies
                    2929 Allen Parkway . Houston, TX 77019
<PAGE>

American General Life Insurance Company
April 17, 2001
Page 2

Based on and subject to the foregoing and the limitations, qualifications,
exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, I am of the opinion that:

1.   The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the
     laws of the State of Illinois.

2.   Separate Account VA-1 was duly established and is maintained by the Company
     pursuant to the laws of the State of Illinois, under which income, gains
     and losses, whether or not realized, from assets allocated to Separate
     Account VA-1, are, in accordance with the Contracts, credited to or charged
     against Separate Account VA-1 without regard to other income, gains or
     losses of the Company.

3.   Assets allocated to Separate Account  VA-1 will be owned by the Company.
     The Company is not a trustee with respect thereto.  The Contracts provide
     that the portion of the assets of Separate Account VA-1 equal to the
     reserves and other Contract liabilities with respect to Separate Account
     VA-1 will not be chargeable with liabilities arising out of any other
     business the Company may conduct.  The Company reserves the right to
     transfer assets of Separate Account VA-1 in excess of such reserves and
     other Contract liabilities to the general account of the Company.

4.   When issued and sold as described above, the Contracts (including any units
     of Separate Account VA-1 duly credited thereunder) will be duly authorized
     and will constitute validly issued and binding obligations of the Company
     in accordance with their terms.

The undersigned is a member of the bar of the State of Texas, and expresses no
opinion as to matters not governed by the laws of the State of Texas or the
United States federal law.  To the extent that the opinions set forth relate to
matters under the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Texas or the
United States federal law, with your permission but without having made any
independent investigation, we have assumed that the laws of Texas are
substantially the same as the laws of any such other jurisdiction.

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item
601(b)(5), Regulation S-K of the Securities Act of 1933 and I hereby consent to
the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                         Sincerely,

                                         /s/ PAULETTA P. COHN

                        American General Life Companies
                    2929 Allen Parkway . Houston, TX 77019

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