ABSTRACT
The idea of regional co-operation in the American continent was first proposed by Simon Bolivar in 1822. However, the Monroe doctrine of the following year38 created an obstacle to immediate co-operation. In 1890, a conference in Washington resulted in the establishment of the International Union of American Republics (sometimes known as the Pan American Union) which was not an organisation but a series of conferences. In 1910, the headquarters of the Pan American Union was established in Washington. After the First World War, conferences continued to be held but it was not until the Montevideo Conference of 1933 that the United States accepted the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other Latin American or Central American states. During the 1930s and 1940s, a steady improvement in relations lead to greater emphasis on co-operation.
