Moves toward democracy in military-ruled Burma "will take a long time", Malaysia's foreign minister said Tuesday after a rare meeting with the country's reclusive leaders.

The minister, Syed Hamid Albar, had met with Burmese Prime Minister Soe Win, Senior General Than Shwe and his own counterpart U Nyan Win during a one-day visit to Yangon the previous day.

After arriving back in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday, he said Burma's junta remained wary about democratic reform and was reluctant to step up the pace on its self-declared "roadmap" to democracy.

Syed Hamid said Burmese leaders of the country had told him the roadmap plan was "on track" but that "first they will focus on strengthening national unity and political stability".

"I think the road to democracy will take a long time unless something happens to give them more confidence or there is more unity among the people that will expedite the process," the minister told reporters.

"The three leaders said they have a common voice and they want democracy, but not at the price of their people suffering."

Destabilising effects

Syed Hamid said the leaders had voiced apprehension about what they saw as the destabilising effects of introducing democratic reforms, and that the junta had cited violence-torn Iraq as an example.

"I see that they are careful and do not want to make a mistake," he said.

"They see what is happening in other countries as an example. They want to be sure that the climate is right in order to implement democracy without creating chaos."

Pressure has been growing internationally over the slow pace of reform in Burma, with calls from countries for the United Nations and the UN Security Council to take up the issue.

A UN special envoy, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, who has not been allowed into Burma for nearly two years, last month told the UN General Assembly in a report of continued detentions and maltreatment of civilians and activists.

But Syed Hamid indicated there was no guarantee that pressure from the world body would yield results.

Extremely sensitive

"If we take action through the UN, I don't know what will happen," he said.

"But in the meantime they do not appear keen to allow the UN special envoy to return to Burma or to mediate, because during the meeting we didn't even talk about Aung San Suu Kyi," he said, referring to Burma's detained pro-democracy leader.

"They are extremely sensitive about such topics, which they consider their internal affairs," he added.

Syed Hamid earlier told the Bernama state news agency that the leaders had also discussed greater economic cooperation and that two countries were mulling a joint commission to boost ties.

Malaysia is the fourth largest investor in Burma, and Syed Hamid said the junta was keen for more business.

"What General Than Shwe has said to me is that he hopes Malaysian investors will be encouraged to come to Burma," he said. "There are many opportunities and projects in Burma."