the (AI) message "Nation X has declared war on your unholy nation"

[onomastikon]

This message has always intruiged me until now. Sometimes I get this from AIs I havent even scouted yet, and found out later they were so far from me they *couldnt* have scouted at that time (on Aran, they had no flying scouts).

My questions would be:

1. Anyone know what prompts this message and if any/what effects it has?

2. It would be great, especially for SP AI but also I think for MP, if there were an in-game way to send such Messages, such as:
- a message from (me): "(Me) suggests a truce with your nation."
- a message from (me / human player): "(Me) hereby declares war on your nation"
- a message from (me): "(Me) suggests a truce with your nation until (X)" where (X) usually stands for "Nation Y has been eliminated"

whereby such Messages can be interpreted by humans however they wanted to, but would have gameplay effect on AIs (i.e. also be interpreted by AIs: either they could ignore e.g. a truce or become more friendly depending on the programming or become more hostile if you declare war).

What do you think?