TO Burma or not to Burma? That is the question for Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who has signalled Australia may finally recognise the South-East Asian nation's name change to Myanmar.

Burma's military rulers announced the switch way back in 1989 but while the United Nations and many countries accepted the change, Australia, the US and the UK did not.



But with hopes high that the country's current democratic reform process is genuine, Mr Rudd says that might change.



"We will continue to monitor that and try to conform with the appropriate national and international practice," Mr Rudd told Radio Australia today.



"As you know, this is a hotly contested question.



"Our general practice is to refer to the country as Burma in the international debate and Myanmar when we are within the country with respect to the wishes of the government.



"But let us review international practice on this and we'll maintain an open mind."



Mr Rudd has also foreshadowed intentions to return to Burma in the coming months. Last June, Mr Rudd became the first Western foreign minister to visit the country in many years.



"I will probably seek to go in again to look at the progress in our development assistance cooperation, look at what we can now do with Australian firms in Burma in order to boost economic activity within the country," he said.



"And on top of that, review progress, not just with (opposition leader and leading democracy champion) Aung San Suu Kyi, but also with other leaders of the democratic parties."



Mr Rudd this month announced that Australia was easing its sanctions against Burma's military-backed government as an acknowledgement it had taken important steps towards democracy.



The government remained in contact with Suu Kyi and others on Australia's sanctions policy and the political developments in the country, he said.



Suu Kyi was freed from seven years of house arrest in November 2010 and a nominally civilian government replaced the long-ruling military junta in March last year, but the Burmese parliament is still composed mainly of military figures and the ruling army-backed party.

