Why the U.S. Says “Burma” and not “Myanmar”

You Say ‘Tomato’…U.S. Likely to Stick With ‘Burma’ for the Time Being – WSJ, November 18, 2012
…In practice, some U.S. officials seem to think it’s best to say neither.
During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s groundbreaking visit to Myanmar last year, she generally avoided using either name, preferring ”the country” or “this country.” Other top U.S. diplomats frequently use “Burma/Myanmar” to avoid giving offense and save time.
So while the official White House line is that the place Mr. Obama visits on Monday is “Burma,” don’t necessarily expect him to keep reminding his hosts of that, or at least not too much.