Improving a race's opinion toward another race

[Cyprene]

So I'm about ready to start forming the Federation, and that means improving the way (in my game, at least) the Evucks and the Peltians feel about each other.  Their values need to be around +90 to form an alliance, and right now they're at zero.
I can "Improve relationship with other race", but that seems extremely time intensive (+1 per month, so a LONG time to get it to where I need it to be.)   Is there another way to do it?

[Foogsert]

Once relations are good on both sides, it kind of feeds itself and will escalate on it's own, but this still takes awhile. Getting relations up between races you want in the federation should definitely be done a bit ahead of time.

Boarines have an option to improve relations between two races as well I believe. Trade routes might help, but I'm not actually certain.

[Tridus]

Brokering tech trading between them also boosts their relations.

[Cyprene]

Are there other ways?

This is an extremely important concept and I think it needs to be a little clearer; what do other people think?

[Tridus]

Beat up another race sufficiently that both of them declare war. That tends to help.

I did that to the Actuans in my game and wound up with most of the galaxy getting along splendidly after that war finally ended.