"The sun is more reliable than the Saudis"

There are many ways to describe Shimon Peres: Warrior-statesman. Israeli president. Nobel peace prize winner. Three-time prime minister.

But, at 84, and two months into his newest role as Israel's ninth president, Peres might best liked to be described as an eternal optimist.

For the first time as president, Peres met today with about 100 members of the international press.

And the Israeli leader who helped broker the landmark 1993 Oslo Accords came away sounding like the Israeli version of Al Gore: An veteran statesmen who is turning his attentions to improving the environment and the economy.

He touted a plan to work with Jordan to create a joint electric car factory and said Israel would give the cars away free in Israel.

He vowed to turn the Israeli equivalent of the White House into a "Green House" by adding solar power and recycling water.

"We feel that the sun is more reliable than the Saudis," said Peres. "The sun, apparently, is more permanent, more democratic and more friendly, and more objective. And we have a lot of sun and we don't have anything in the way of oil."

The presidency in Israel is typically a ceremonial post with little power or influence. But that's not Peres' style. He is already becoming one of the more active and activist president's in the nation's history.

Peres took over the presidency in July after his predecessor, Moshe Katsav, resigned after pleading guilty to sexual harassment in a plea bargain that allowed him to avoid jail time over more serious allegations of rape.

Last week, in one of his highest profile events so far, Peres received a visit from Madonna, who told the president that she has become an "ambassador for Judaism" since embracing the Jewish mystic religious traditions of Kabbalah that have prompted her to take the Hebrew name Esther.

"I hope the human mind and common sense overcome extremism," the pop icon told Peres.

Despite the Hamas takeover of Gaza, simmering tensions with Syria, the rise of Iran and threats of its nuclear program, the danger from Hezbollah in Lebanon, and skepticism about ongoing peace talks with the Palestinians, Peres said he remains optimistic.

"In spite of all the troubles we see in our time, the world is on a new track," said Peres.

Peres sought to reassure Israelis and the world that the mysterious Israeli attack on a Syrian target last week would not lead to a new war.

"I do believe the nervousness in our relations with Syria are over,'" he said. "We are ready to negotiate directly with the Syrians for peace."

The president's comments came one day after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert also tried to reduce tensions by telling reporters that he has "a lot of respect" for Syrian President Bashar Assad and wants peace.

Peres and Olmert  both might want peace, especially after Israel raised tensions by launching the air strike. And Syria is probably in no rush to stage a counter-attack. But, in the absence of good information about the strike, the controversy remains an unresolved puzzle.

And there is no guarantee that Syria is satisfied with the state of affairs.

Although Peres remains an optimist, he said the chances for peace are always short and fragile.

"The window of opportunity, like every window, is made out of glass and you have to be careful not to break it," he said.