And this ceremony is a testament to the truth that old adversaries can forge new partnerships.

WHITEHOUSE: Signing of New START Nuclear Arms Treaty with Russia

NATO, after all, has been assuring everyone that it is now a defence-cum-peacekeeping outfit that threatens absolutely nobody, least of all its old adversaries the Russians (among whose fellow-Slavs are the Serbs).

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In the space of an hour, then, the personal relationship between the two old adversaries had been strong enough to enable agreement to be reached on the start of a new UN-brokered peace process and on a move that could - just possibly - break the whole mould of Cypriot politics.

BBC: Cyprus veterans share chemistry

Sir Alex Ferguson has made it his mission to make United the first side to successfully defend the Champions League title and they set about their old Premier League adversaries with relish from the first whistle.

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Industry appeals that the arsenal is growing old, that potential adversaries are catching up, that jobs will be lost and that contract terms are too onerous have all fallen on deaf ears.

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