Just means you can't decide to change where a 'faction A' stands with 'faction B' with no RP or warning - which isn't a bad thing.
As it stands you need to RP to change diplomacy to friendly (allied) if you want to get tech stuff of whatever.... right? Why not have to RP to go hostile to shoot them?
Seems reasonable enough.
And lets be realistic here. After the initial freak out of RP and requests for the changes needing to be done because everything was out of date or whatever, I don't think it will be a massive increase in paperwork.... Do we really think this kinda thing happens as often as what everyone is suggesting?
If it is... Maybe this will stop the chopping and changing of relations as people see fit/when it suits them. Again.... Not a bad thing.
As an additional note: Paperwork should have been kept relatively up to date.... I know I have the same problem with not having done so on a few things - but who can we really blame other than ourselves for that?
Why not just get each faction to submit what they want changed in one post as a one time review (and/or guide for what needs to be changed for each ID), highlighting what is being changed from what is already written in the info pages. Still be a lot of work, but at least that way it'll be easier to see what is being changed and easier to review/process..... hopefully.