NEW YORK, NY May 29, 2008 —Only a man and a woman can wed in New York, but the state must recognize gay or lesbian marriages performed elsewhere, the governor said in a news conference today.

WNYC's Ilya Marritz has more.

Paterson's order — which was issued a day before California's same-sex marriage ruling comes in the wake of a February decision by New York's highest court that said the state must recognize same sex marriages performed in Canada.

If New York didn't act now, Paterson said, it would leave itself open to new lawsuits which it would lose.

Paterson said he wasn't performing an end run around the legislature

PATERSON: Maybe they should actually go into the legislature and work on something.

REPORTER: Paterson favors a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York. The bill stalled last year in the senate. Majority Joseph Bruno said today he disagrees with Paterson's action.

For WNYC, I'm Ilya Marritz.