While details of the US meeting with Suu Kyi and Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein have not been disclosed, the fact that they occurred at all is positive.

The US decision to engage the Burmese leadership amid continued sanctions, taken a few weeks earlier, is apparently influenced by a rethink of its previous policy of isolating the military regime. Despite longstanding economic sanctions, the US has not been able to alter the regime’s policies of repression. The fact that Myanmar enjoys Russian and Chinese support against further sanctions is something that 
hinders US objectives and reduces pressure on the regime. 

The Burmese military’s decision to allow contact between US officials and the National League for Democracy (NLD)—led by Kyi—is a consequence of Ms Kyi writing a letter offering cooperation to General Than Shwe. Her offer for cooperation entails dialogue with western diplomats to remove sanctions in the larger interest of the common people.

This development of a cooperative relationship between the military and the democratic opposition, guided by mutual benefits, may not last long, considering their divergent principles. This should also not be taken as a guarantee that elections scheduled for early 2010 will be smooth sailing for the repressed opposition. Even after winning a resounding victory in the last election held in 1990, the NLD had not been allowed to form a government. The two decades in between the elections have been marked by detentions and measures to quell even peaceful protests by monks. Fearful of releasing Kyi’s release for pre-election canvassing, the junta has been resorting to lame excuses of extending her detention at home to sabotage the election.

The question worrying the Burmese leadership will be how long can they stagemanage the status quo? They may have succeeded in suppressing political movement for democracy so far, but the discontent among the people is growing by the day. Not only that, the leadership feels compelled to justify the political situation. One sure way of doing that is by holding elections. Ironically, as witnessed previously, with the outcome of the elections not to the liking of the military command, the whole exercise turns into a grand pretence. While this may have succeeded in the last election, the situation is different now, with the regime under increasing pressure domestically and from abroad. After the establishment of contact with Washington—something Myanmar probably covets despite its nonchalance— and in case of continued engagement it will become increasingly difficult for Burma to continue its policy of subjugation. As for the US, it is better to keep communication channels open. Isolating regimes like Iran, North Korea and Burma has not helped Washington, something it will do well to foster into its foreign policy.