July 19, 1994GOLDEN FINDS PROBLEM IN PLANS
WITH SISTER CITY
July 19, 1994GOLDEN FINDS PROBLEM IN PLANS
WITH SISTER CITY
By Jonathan Dube
IF BROOKLYN were its own country - as some believe it should be - then
everything would have worked out.
But because it isn't, when Borough President Howard Golden arrived in the
Republic of San Marino in Italy to sign a sister-city agreement, he got quite a
shock.
San Marino - despite its location in the heart of Italy and its population of
only 23,000 - is not, in fact, a city, but a country.
"We realized we're not allowed to make a treaty with a country," said Golden.
"Only the United States can make a treaty."
Nevertheless, Golden said, he exchanged a list of concerns with San Marino.
"They were interested in knowing how they could increase their exports,"
Golden said. "They would like to attract Brooklyn tourists and businesses to San
Marino."
The main purpose of the nine-day visit was to improve business ties with
Brooklyn's sister city, Anzio. "They are looking to do business and we are
looking to do business," Golden said. His delegation included several prominent
Brooklyn business leaders.
One deal that was discussed is for Brooklyn Union Gas to build a natural gas
generation plant to power Rome's airport.
"We whet their appetite," said William Federici, executive director for
corporate affairs at Brooklyn Union Gas. "This could be quite a good business
deal for us."
The trip was paid for by Golden's campaign committee, according to Greg
Brooks, a spokesman for the Borough President's office.
One highlight of the visit was a D-Day memorial ceremony at the U.S. military
cemetery where 130 Brooklynites killed during the 1944 Allied landing there are
buried. More Brooklynites who died in the war are buried at Anzio than anywhere
else.
Golden laid a flag on the grave of William Rosati, a 21-year-old Bensonhurst
man killed in the landing, and spoke by phone to Rosati's sister, Virginia
Rosati Mercurio of Brooklyn.
Staff Writer
