New Delhi: India's High Commissioner-designate to Pakistan Shiv Shanker Menon on July 15 left for Islamabad, stressing that Pakistan needed to address New Delhi's concerns on cross-border terrorism effectively to create a "proper atmosphere" for the dialogue process to take place.

"Terrorism is an issue. Everybody knows our views. Prime Minister has said this is an issue that needs to be addressed effectively. Because if we want the dialogue process to continue, we also need to make the effort to build a proper atmosphere," Menon said as he left for Pakistan.

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."

On his priorities, Menon, who fills the High Commissioner's slot in Islamabad after a gap of 18 months, said, "My first effort would be to try and build friendly, cooperative and constructive relations with Pakistan."

India had withdrawn its High Commissioner from Islamabad Vijay K Nambiar following the December 13 terror attack on Parliament and also snapped air, road and rail links. India also slashed the strength of its High Commission in Pakistan by 50 per cent.

Menon said since Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's initiative in April extending a hand of friendship to Pakistan, there have been "several positive developments" in the relationship between the two countries.

He noted that Pakistani Parliamentary and business delegations have visited India in recent weeks. Menon said he had also received a large number of letters from people who were keen that Indo-Pak ties improve.

"I would like to get to Pakistan. The general thrust is to build peaceful, friendly and cooperative relations," he said observing "certainly, there has been improvement in the atmosphere of the relations. But much more we can do".

Emphasising on the step-by-step approach being pursued by the government, he said, "We are determined to take it forward".

On restoration of air and rail links, he said both governments would have to discuss and agree on it. "Obviously, there is public interest and demand" in the resumption of these services, he said.

About increasing the High Commission strength to the original level of 110, he said, "that will also be on our agenda".

PTI