Paris ? President Bush raised questions about Yasser Arafat’s leadership ability Sunday, citing doubts among Palestinians. He praised the role of other Arab leaders in attempting to get the peace process back on track.

Bush said he’s sending American officials back to the region this week as part of that effort.

“The good news is that many in the Arab world are now working with us to help create an environment” that will lead to creation of a Palestinian state alongside the Jewish one, he said at a news conference with French President Jacques Chirac.

In particular, Bush cited efforts by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

Earlier, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Bush said that Arafat was coming under intense scrutiny in the region, with doubts rising among his own people about his ability to carry out political reform and bring peace to the region.

“Evidently, there is a new attitude emerging among the new leadership of the Palestinian Authority” about Arafat’s capabilities,” Bush said. “And the answer is, we’ll see. We’ll see if he can deliver.”

He spoke at his last stop on a three day visit to Russia, before heading to Paris.

Arafat “hasn’t delivered,” Bush said. “He had a chance to secure the peace as a result of the hard work of President Clinton, and he didn’t. He had a chance to fight terrorism and he hasn’t.”

Bush’s remarks seemed designed to respond to criticism that he has failed to ease tensions in the Middle East. But Bush was surprisingly frank about his desire for moderate Arab nations, such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia as well as Palestinian leaders inside Arafat’s circle to either force Arafat to change or ease him out of the picture.

“The key … is for the Arab world to continue to fight terror, to do what they say they’re going to do. We believe that that’s happening more than ever,” Bush said.

Later, in Paris, Bush said the American officials headed to the region would both “work with the parties to have a political dialogue” and to try to help the Palestinians rebuild their security forces.

Bush did not say who was going. Some White House officials suggested CIA director George Tenet would be one of the officials.

On another Mideast issues, Bush was asked about U.S. policy on Iraq. He said that it had not changed. “The stated position of my government is that we have a regime change. I have no war plans on my desk.”

He continues to view Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein “as a serious threat,” Bush said.

In his earlier remarks on Arafat, Bush cited concerns about the Palestinian leader that are rising from inside the Palestinian Authority as well as among Arab leaders and the Palestinian people.

“People are beginning to question out loud why there hasn’t been some success,” he said.

Bush’s advisers have long been divided over what to do about Arafat.

Some, such as Secretary of State Colin Powell, argue that the United States must deal with Arafat because, like it or not, he’s the Palestinian leader. Others, such as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney, want to sever ties with Arafat or at least help engineer a change in leadership.

Bush shrugged off talk of a split, saying “I get all kinds of advice.”

Bush has not changed his position that Arafat should be part of the peace process because the United States does not choose the Palestinian leader, White House aides said Sunday.

But they said the president hopes to encourage Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other moderate Arab nations as well as those inside Arafat’s circle to either push Arafat harder or force changes around him.

Tenet and Assistant Secretary of State William Burns both had been expected to be on their way to the region by now, but senior administration officials are evaluating prospects for tightening security and moving into peacemaking.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is likely to push for stepped-up U.S. involvement on a visit to Washington that begins June 5.