Has anyone else encountered a situation similar to this?  I have a Normal/Huge game going with 7 other races.  I'm playing Terran and have been researching diplomacy techs from pretty early on.  Almost everyone has been considered "Close" to me on the foriegn relations screen for most of the game, but I've only been able to form an alliance with the Thalans.  The option doesn't even come up in the trade window for any other race - even the ones who I have close relations with.  I'm not sure if this is necesary or not, but everyone seems to have the alliance tech, because I can't offer it to them in the trade window.  I thought it might be my military, but I'm ranked second most powerfull behind the Thalans, so I can't figure it out at all.  I've had some problems forming alliances in other games of TOA, but this is the first time I can't come up with a reason for it.