<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.A17
<SEQUENCE>10
<FILENAME>dex99a17.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT A17
<TEXT>
<PAGE>

                                                                 EXHIBIT (A)(17)

                   THE FIRST AUSTRALIA PRIME INCOME FUND, INC.

                             ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY

         THE FIRST AUSTRALIA PRIME INCOME FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation
having its principal Maryland office in Baltimore, Maryland (the "Corporation"),
certifies that:

         FIRST: Pursuant to Section 3-802 of the Maryland General Corporation
Law (the "MGCL"), the Board of Directors of the Corporation ("the Board") at its
meeting held on June 8, 2000, by unanimous resolution, elected to be subject to
certain provisions of Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, entitled, "Corporations and Real
Estate Investment Trusts -- Unsolicited Takeovers."

         SECOND: Pursuant to such resolution, the Corporation through its Board,
has elected to be subject to the following provisions of Subtitle 8:

         (i)      Section 3-804(a): Under Section 3-804(a), the stockholders of
                  the Corporation may remove any director by the affirmative
                  vote of at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be
                  cast by the stockholders generally in the election of
                  directors.

         (ii)     Section 3-804(b): Under Section 3-804(b), the number of
                  directors of the Corporation shall be fixed only by the vote
                  of the Board.

         (iii)    Section 3-804(c): Under Section 3-804(c), a vacancy on the
                  Board due to an increase in the size of the Board or the
                  death, resignation, or removal of a director, may be filled
                  only by the affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining
                  directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not
                  constitute a quorum. Any director so elected to fill a vacancy
                  shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the
                  class of directors in which the vacancy occurred, and until a
                  successor is elected and qualifies.

         (iv)     Section 3-805: Under Section 3-805, the Secretary of the
                  Corporation may call a special meeting of stockholders only on
                  the written request of the stockholders entitled to cast at
                  least a majority of all votes entitled to be cast at the
                  meeting; and in accordance with the procedures set forth under
                  Section 2-502(b)(2) and (3) and (e) of the MGCL.

         THIRD: The filing of these Articles Supplementary, pursuant to Section
3-802(d)(1), was approved by the Board by Unanimous Written Consent in lieu of
meeting on August 16, 2000.

         FOURTH: Pursuant to Section 3-802(d)(3) of the MGCL, the filing of
these Articles Supplementary does not require the approval of stockholders.

         FIFTH: The undersigned Chairman acknowledges that these Articles
Supplementary are the act of the Corporation and that to the best of his
knowledge, information, and belief, all matters and facts set forth herein
relating to the authorization and approval of the Articles


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Supplementary are true in all material respects and that this statement is made
under the penalty of perjury.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles
Supplementary to be signed in its name and on behalf by its Chairman and
attested to by its Assistant Secretary on this 16th day of August, 2000.

                                        THE FIRST AUSTRALIA PRIME INCOME
                                        FUND, INC.

                                        By: /s/ Laurence S. Freedman
                                            ----------------------------
                                            Laurence S. Freedman
                                            Chairman

ATTEST


/s/ Sander M. Bieber
--------------------
Sander M. Bieber
Assistant Secretary

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