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                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(a)

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS



We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectuses
constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated
January 31, 2000 appearing on page F-2 of Anchor National Life Insurance
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999. We
consent to the incorporation by reference in the Variable Separate Account
(Portion Relating to the Polaris II Variable Annuity) Prospectus of our report
dated March 3, 2000 relating to the financial statements of Variable Separate
Account (Portion Relating to the Polaris II Variable Annuity). We also consent
to the reference to us under the heading "Independent Accountants" in such
Prospectuses.



/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Woodland Hills, California
December 8, 2000