AI and colonization

[Rexxx]

During the Last days I ran several games with all AIs (standard, TDM and my own) under player control but with "full AI on" just to watch the colonization minister (and his colleagues) working. Well, he did a hell of a job. Is it only my impression or he is ordered to never set up a colony in a system which is claimed by an ally?

Sometimes in midgame - when there is peace throughout the quadrant - the whole colonization business comes to a halt. With no free or hostile systems in range, the colonizers full of happy wannabe-colonists are orbiting their homeworlds for years. When new colonization technology becomes available the AIs begin to fill up their own systems but again never one of their allies.
Can anybody confirm this? Is there something I can do against it?

I like to have my AIs peaceful but not to this point of doing absolutely nothing.

[Mephisto]

Your observations are correct and you can do nothing about it. MM set it this way on purpose as many people were complaining that the Ai would swarm their systems and the only way to get rid off them would mean war as the diplomatic "leave system" order is not working. However, this behaviour should only be seen with human players, not AIs. I would guess you have set up all the races as human players?

[oleg]

AI will colonize allies systems if it is in Partnership. With lesser treaties, like military alliance, AI won't.