India's High Commissioner-designate to Pakistan, Shiv Shankar Menon, on Tuesday left for Islamabad.

"Terrorism is an issue. Prime Minister (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) has said this is an issue that needs to be addressed effectively. If we want the dialogue process to continue, we also need to… build a proper atmosphere," he said before leaving.

Menon, till recently India's ambassador to China, said he was looking forward to his new assignment.

"It is quite after some time that we are restoring our relations to this level," he said.

Asked whether he was carrying any invitation for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf or Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Menon said, "You must let me do my work first. Once we go there, we will see. This is a process. We are on the road. I cannot tell you today that on this and this day, this is going to happen.

"My first effort would be to try and build friendly, cooperative and constructive relations with Pakistan."