WORLD : Quayle Hears Australian Grievance

Vice President Dan Quayle heard Australian grievances today about U.S. farm subsidies and told Prime Minister Bob Hawke that he must accept the “political reality,” officials said.

Australian and U.S. officials, briefing reporters during the first leg of Quayle’s four-nation tour of the Pacific and the Far East, described the private, 90-minute meeting as particularly warm and said the overriding theme of the talks was that Australian-U.S. relations are in “excellent shape.” Quayle is to spend five days in Australia representing President Bush at this year’s celebration of Australian-American Friendship Week.