Former German ambassador to the United Nations said focusing on the spread of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and democracy will help steady an unstable relationship between the United States and Europe Monday night.Hans Arnold, former U.N. ambassador, was invited by the modern language and political science programs.

Jeffrey Todd, associate professor of French and German said this was an opportunity for TCU to act on its mission statement.

“TCU talks about globalization a lot, this is our way to give students a global perspective, by inviting someone from the wider world,” Todd said.

To an audience of about 40 people, Arnold said the U.S. and Europe need to return the U.N. and NATO to a vital alliance of foreign policy, especially in the midst of the Iraq War.

Arnold said there is no one person who has a recipe to get out of the situation, and that the U.N. and NATO can prevent war and provide alliance.

“I cannot remember at any time that we have had so many difficulties at one time,” said Arnold.

To exemplify the lack of cooperation between the nations, Arnold said the reputations of President Bush and the United States have lowered in European nations, treatment of its prisoners of the Iraq war are questioned, support for the President’s leadership has decreased and that a large number of Europeans support NATO.

Arnold said NATO and the U.N. began as a necessary alliance, but since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the alliance has become weaker and its future is questionable.

He said to solve this problem, the Trans-Atlantic community needs to figure out problems no one wants to take on first with a leadership role, and hopefully combine forces who agree in diplomacy policy and weaponry policy.

“I hope we can find in common, in Europe and the U.S., a way out,” Arnold said.