Burma–United States relations

Myanmar–United States relations

Myanmar	United States
Diplomatic Mission
Burmese Embassy, Washington, D.C.	United States Embassy, Rangoon

The political relationship between the United States and Myanmar worsened after the 1988 military coup and violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations. Subsequent repression, including the crackdown on peaceful protestors in September 2007, further strained the relationship. However, following signs of liberalization, the US government began the process of improving its links with Myanmar in 2011. With improving ties in 2012, the White House planned Ambassador nomination, the first since 1990. On June 29, 2012, the U.S. Senate confirmed Derek Mitchell as the United States Ambassador to Myanmar.

In a Gallup public opinion poll conducted in 2012, 30% of Burmese people approved of U.S. leadership, with 67% uncertain and 3% disapproving.

Massachusetts attempted to sanction Burma directly in 1996 but those efforts proved unconstitutional. Later, the United States federal government imposed broad sanctions against Burma under several different legislative and policy vehicles. The Burma Freedom and Democracy Act (BFDA), passed by Congress and signed by the President in 2003, included a ban on all imports from Burma, a ban on the export of financial services to Burma, a freeze on the assets of certain Burmese financial institutions, and extended visa restrictions on Burmese officials. Congress has renewed the BFDA annually, most recently in July 2010.

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