MPT Western Asset Munici

Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. (NYSE: MNP) and Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund II Inc. (NYSE: MPT) announced today that MPT will merge with and into MNP following the close of business on July 20, 2007. Prior to the opening of business on July 23, 2007, MPT will cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and shareholders of that Fund will become shareholders of MNP. As a result of the merger, each share of common stock of MPT will convert into an equivalent dollar amount (to the nearest one tenth of one cent) of full shares of common stock of MNP, based on the net asset value per share of each Fund calculated at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 20, 2007. MNP will not issue any fractional common shares to MPT shareholders. In lieu thereof, MNP will pay cash to each former holder of MPT common shares in an amount equal to the value of the fractional MNP common shares that the investor would otherwise have received in the merger. In addition, each outstanding MPT preferred share will be converted into one full MNP preferred share. No sales charges or fees of any kind will be charged to shareholders of MPT common shares or MPT preferred shares in connection with their receipt of MNP common shares or MNP preferred shares, respectively, in the merger. Also, except for any cash received for fractional shares, the exchange of shares will not be a taxable event. Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund Inc. and Western Asset Municipal Partners Fund II Inc. are closed-end, diversified management investment companies. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., serves as the Funds� investment manager and Western Asset Management Company, an affiliate of the investment manager, serves as the Funds� sub-adviser. For additional information, please visit the Funds� web sites at www.LeggMason.com, or call the Investor Relations Group at 1-888-777-0102.