NEW YORK — New York's governor said the imam behind the proposed Islamic community center near ground zero has offered an "opening" with his latest comments about the debate.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said Wednesday if he'd known "it would cause this kind of pain," he might have chosen a different location.

Gov. David Paterson said today he saw Rauf's comments as a move "in the right direction."

Paterson declined to comment on Rauf's remarks that the mosque issue has become so politicized that moving it could endanger national security.