熊谷直子（国際大学准教授）は、信頼構築強化に不可欠であり紛争予防外交対策として早期な発見と仲介が役立つことを説いた。
Naoko Kumagai presented the role of fact-finding in preventive diplomacy. Kumagai explained that fact-finding is indispensable for the reinforcement of confidence building and is useful for preventive diplomacy measures, in particular early warning and mediation.
Still, Kumagai emphasized the limitations of fact-finding as seen in biased fact collection and interpretations, which often occur even in U.N. human rights reports. Then she pointed out that fact-finding can be paralyzed once mutual confidence among parties is broken.
She addressed the importance of fact-finding at the confidence-building level and suggested that a functional approach to fact-finding in technical issue areas would be possible even with the principles of non-interference.
Kumagai suggested an independent ARF office or an office within the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation which provides fact-finding mission, stores fact and data, serves as an arena of free discussion over conflictual results of fact-finding without any judgement capabilities, and works as liaison between intra-regional and extra regional cooperation for arranging the most effective fact-finding mission for each case.
After the panel, Kumagai received comments sharing the same observation about the growing problem of irreconcilable interpretational disputes over a single fact seen both in domestic and international politics, which often leads to the failure of dialogue itself. The comments also included the importance of serious institutional development for fact-finding missions overcoming such crisis.
