WASHINGTON. June 5: Officials should consider designating Pakistan and Greece as countries "not cooperating fully" in the battle against terrorism and strengthen the category by banning those countries’ citizens from travelling here without visas, a blue-ribbon commission says, reports AP.

Pakistan provides "safe haven, transit and moral, political and diplomatic support to several groups engaged in terrorism" and Greece —a NATO ally — "has been disturbingly passive in response to terrorist activities." according to the National Commission on Terrorism. a panel of private experts and former government officials.

The commission was created by the US Congress two years ago after bombings of American embassies in Africa It was due

to report to lawmakers today

Currently. America allows certain countries’ citizens to visit the United States for three months without a visa. But Congress should ban countries in the "not cooperating fully" category from the visa-waiver programme, the commission said.

Right now. only Afghanistan is the only country in the "not cooperating fully" category’ and Pakistan currently is not in the visa-waiver programme

Greece was just approved for the programme, however. US officials said in February’ they would continue excluding the country until it tightens its passport procedures against fraud, though.

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said she hadn't seen the report but said the government was looking at "what the appropriate means

are to deal with this.

"As far as Greece and Pakistan are concerned, it is a subject of discussion with them and was raised both when President Clinton and 1 were in Pakistan and in Greece recently." Albright said And we are pressing them on it but we are not considering sanctions.'

Other suggestion'- from the commission include:

— Tracking foreign students in America. The government should keep tabs on such things as changes In students' study plans — a switch from an English literature major to nuclear physics might arouse suspicion. for example.

— Allowing the military to lead the response to any major terrorist attack on US soil, as opposed to the FBI or the Federal Emergency Management Agency,