If nations hate each other but are making a treaty of peace, there will always remain some seeds of hatred. How can it be considered as a settlement?
The perfect Sage is always willing to accept the debit side of an account, for then he does not have to enforce payment from another. Those who have teh make unwritten contracts of faith; those who have no teh, make written contracts and hold them as evidence.
The TAO of Heaven makes no written contracts, but always helps the good man.