Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas say they're both serious about peace in the Mideast, and will continue with efforts to clinch a peace deal by 2009. They made the remarks ahead of the Mediterranean summit.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy hosted a meeting on Sunday between Olmert and Abbas at the Elysee Palace. They all expressed optimism after the meeting.

Ehud Olmert, the Prime Minister of Israel, expressed, "Of course there will be obstacles, problems, disagreements but we have never been as close to the possibility of coming to an agreement as we are today. And I think that the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli state will be able to take important decisions, which will take us to a stage we have never before reached."