Progress is being made towards democratic reforms in Burma but they will take time and the world needs to be patient, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

"The Burmese government is taking steps to release prisoners etcera, so to me that is progress," he told a news conference.

Mahathir also pointed to meetings between democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the military government as a good sign, although "it's not being publicised."

Asked if the ruling generals were genuine in their promises to introduce democratic reform, Mahathir said: "I think eventually they will. It takes a little bit of time, we have to be patient."

The United Nations special envoy to Burma is a Malaysian, Razali Ismail, and he is to visit the country again next week on his ninth mission to promote reforms.