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The White House dismissed as "not satisfactory" a plan announced by Myanmar's military rulers to hold a referendum on a new constitution in May followed by multi-party elections in 2010.
Myanmar's junta unveiled the voting timetable on Saturday, a move critics said was aimed at deflecting international pressure after last year's army crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
"That is not satisfactory," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters when asked about the promised referendum and election. But she declined further comment, saying she had yet to see details of what was planned.
Myanmar's government drew international condemnation when its security forces crushed monk-led pro-democracy protests four months ago, killing at least 31 people.
The Bush administration last Tuesday imposed more financial sanctions meant to isolate Myanmar's rulers. Washington had announced two previous sanctions packages, but failed to convince China, Myanmar's key trading partner and arms supplier, to follow its example.
The elections would be the first held in the former Burma since 1990, when Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won a multi-party poll later rejected by the military, which has ruled in various guises since 1962.
The NLD, which boycotted a constitution-drafting convention while its leader, Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi, remains under house arrest, called the announcement "erratic."
