An impending U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement could boost the economic aspects of the sister-state relationship between Queensland and South Carolina.

"That will provide a whole new range of opportunities for us," Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said Tuesday.

Beattie was in Columbia leading a trade and investment mission to the United States.

He met with Gov. Mark Sanford for the first time. Sanford is the third governor Beattie has dealt with since he started coming to South Carolina.

"It was a really good meeting, positive. (Sanford) is a practical man like I am. There have got to be tangible benefits out of this," Beattie said.

Beattie began working on a relationship with South Carolina while David Beasley was governor. The sister-state relationship was developed while Jim Hodges was governor. An economic co-operation memorandum of understanding, signed as part of that agreement, expired last year. Beattie said he hopes it will be revived in some form.

Australia and the United States likely will conclude a free-trade agreement by the end of the year. The agreement would make it easier for some goods and services to move between the two nations.

An agreement would build upon the U.S. and Australia's already strong trading relationship, Beattie said.

Queensland's annual exports to the United States almost doubled to $1.8 billion (Australian) during the 10 years ending last June 30, Beattie said.

As part of this trip, Beattie will meet with senior people in the Bush administration about the impending agreement.

There are some issues that need to be negotiated, but Beattie is confident those can be resolved. "I think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, to be honest," he said.

Beattie said he hopes to increase commercial relationships between Queensland and South Carolina.

Once the free trade agreement goes into effect, Queensland and South Carolina need to swap major trade delegations, he said.

There needs to be a matching of businesses that want to import goods and those that want to export goods, Beattie said.

The sister-state relationship to date has born more fruit in the areas of education and culture.

The major commercial success of the relationship was last year's import agreement between Ballandean Estate Wines in Queensland and Capital Wine and Beverage in Columbia.

Two Australian companies - Mincom, a computer consulting firm, and LicenSys, a license plate manufacturer - are part of the Queensland delegation on this mission.

Each company is working on opportunities in South Carolina, Beattie said.

No S.C. trade mission has been to Queensland yet, although sister-state delegations have visited.

One area Beattie would like to see developed is biotechnology, which is a special focus in Queensland.

Beattie is leading Queensland's delegation to the BIO2003 biotechnology industry trade show next week in Washington, D.C. He has invited South Carolina to be part of a networking event that Queensland hosts at the show.

Queensland can help with South Carolina's biotech strategy, Beattie said. "We want U.S. partners."