Ambassador of the United States to Burma | |
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![]() Seal of the United States Department of State | |
Style | Ambassador |
Residence | Rangoon, Burma |
Nominator | The President of the United States |
Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
Inaugural holder | J. Klahr Huddle as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
Formation | October 17, 1947 |
Website | mm |
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Burma. In 1989 the military government of Burma changed the name of the nation to Myanmar, but the United States government—and all other Western governments—do not accept the name and still refer to the country as Burma in official usage.[2]
Burma became a province of India in 1886 under the British Raj. The country was occupied by Japan during World War II but after the war, again came under control of Britain. In 1946 Britain began negotiations with the Burmese to establish independence for the nation, and reached a final agreement on January 27, 1947. A transitional government was established and Burma became fully independent on January 4, 1948.
The United States recognized Burma and established the Embassy of the United States, Rangoon on September 19, 1947, with Earl L. Packer as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
After 1990 the United States appointed no ambassador to Burma in protest against the policies of the military regime. A chargé d'affaires became the head of mission until 2012.
Ambassadors
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U.S. diplomatic terms |
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Career FSO After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time. Political appointee A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends). Appointed The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office. Presented credentials The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely. Terminated mission Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy. Chargé d'affaires The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. Ad interim Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". |
Name | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission | Notes |
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J. Klahr Huddle[3] – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | October 17, 1947 | March 3, 1948 | November 28, 1949 | |
David McK. Key – Career FSO | March 17, 1950 | April 26, 1950 | October 28, 1951 | ||
William J. Sebald – Career FSO | April 25, 1952 | July 18, 1952 | July 15, 1954 | ||
Joseph C. Satterthwaite – Career FSO | April 4, 1955 | May 10, 1955 | April 1, 1957 | ||
Walter P. McConaughy – Career FSO | May 20, 1957 | August 20, 1957 | November 2, 1959 | ||
William P. Snow[4] – Career FSO | November 9, 1959 | December 1, 1959 | May 4, 1961 | ||
John Scott Everton[5] – Career FSO | May 4, 1961 | June 10, 1961 | May 21, 1963 | ||
Henry A. Byroade – Career FSO | September 10, 1963 | October 7, 1963 | June 11, 1968 | ||
Arthur W. Hummel, Jr. – Career FSO | September 26, 1968 | October 1968 | July 22, 1971 | ||
Edwin W. Martin – Career FSO | August 10, 1971 | October 1, 1971 | November 20, 1973 | ||
David L. Osborn – Career FSO | February 28, 1974 | March 22, 1974 | July 25, 1977 | Osborn and subsequent ambassadors were commissioned to the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma. | |
Maurice Darrow Bean – Career FSO | September 19, 1977 | November 8, 1977 | August 10, 1979 | ||
Patricia M. Byrne – Career FSO | November 27, 1979 | January 14, 1980 | September 14, 1983 | ||
Daniel Anthony O'Donohue – Career FSO | November 14, 1983 | December 26, 1983 | December 16, 1986 | ||
Burton Levin – Career FSO | April 7, 1987 | May 26, 1987 | September 30, 1990 | No ambassador was appointed to replace Levin. The U.S. was represented by a succession of chargés d'affaires. | |
Derek Mitchell – Career FSO | July 5, 2012 | July 11, 2012 | March 14, 2016 | ||
Scot Marciel – Career FSO | March 2, 2016 | April 27, 2016 | May 15, 2020 | ||
Thomas Vajda – Career FSO | November 18, 2020 | January 19, 2021 | December 17, 2022 |
Chargés d'Affaires
[edit]- Franklin P. Huddle, Jr. (September 1990–September 1994)
- Marilyn Meyers (September 1994–October 1996)
- Kent M. Wiedemann (October 1996–May 1999)
- Priscilla A. Clapp (July 1999–August 2002)
- Carmen Maria Martinez (August 2002–August 2005)
- Shari Villarosa (August 2005–September 2008)
- Larry M. Dinger (September 9, 2008–August 2011)
- Michael Thurston (August 2011–July 11, 2012)
- Deb Lynn (December 17, 2022-July 10, 2023)
- Susan N. Stevenson (July 10, 2023-)
Uncompleted appointments
[edit]- Frederick Vreeland was nominated to the ambassadorial post by President George H. W. Bush in 1990, but the Senate declined to act on the nomination.
- Parker W. Borg was nominated by President George H. W. Bush on July 22, 1991, but the Senate declined to act on the nomination.
- Michael J. Green was nominated by President George W. Bush in 2008 to fulfill a special envoy position delegated by the Tom Lantos Block Burma JADE Act, but the nomination was not voted on by the end of the Bush Administration.[citation needed]
Notes
[edit]- ^ "Chargé d'Affaires Susan N. Stevenson".
- ^ "Background Note: Burma (section "Government and Political Conditions")". United States Department of State. July 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
- ^ Huddle was appointed during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 9, 1947.
- ^ Snow was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 21, 1960.
- ^ Everton was commissioned to the Socialist Republic of Burma.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- United States Department of State: Background notes on Burma
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.