COLLEAGUES AND associates of Russian ambassador Mikhail E Timoshkin have paid tribute to him following his sudden death last month.
Alexander Ilin, chief of protocol at the Russian Embassy, said staff were “deeply shocked” at the ambassador’s “absolutely unexpected” death from a heart attack.
“He was always a very healthy man who liked sports… tennis, jogging and swimming,” said Ilin.
The chief of protocol added that the late ambassador was “a very experienced diplomat” who was considered to be “a very friendly, social and communicative person”. He was “strict” at times, admitted Ilin, but “always remained a person not indifferent to the personal problems of the embassy staff and did his best to help”.
He said the ambassador had contributed immensely towards the “improvement of Russian-Irish bilateral relations” and made a “major personal contribution” to the creation of such structures as the Irish-Russian Business Association (IRBA), Eurolog-Ireland, and the Sport Association of Russian Speakers of Ireland (Sarsi), for example.
Tributes were also expressed by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore, who said Ambassador Timoshkin had “worked to strengthen the ties between our two countries and peoples” since his arrival in 2006, and played a “key role” in President Mary McAleese’s visit to Russia in September 2010, which was “the first visit by a President of Ireland to the Russian Federation” and one that “marked a significant step forward in our bilateral relationship”.
Peter Finnegan, director of international relations at Dublin City Council, also praised the late diplomat’s contributions. “Mikhail was a good friend to Dublin and served Russia well here in Ireland,” he said, adding that the late Russian ambassador had played a pivotal role in the signing of a “friendship agreement” between Dublin and two Russian cities, Moscow and St Petersburg.
“Some years ago, the Irish ambassador in Moscow at the time, Justin Harmon, and Mikhail collectively put forward the idea that Moscow, St Petersburg and Dublin should have closer links,” he said of the origins of a formal agreement of co-operation on business, cultural and education.
“As an ambassador he served his national interests, but at the same time was a great friend to this city,” added Finnegan.
In the meantime, asked of the late ambassador’s successor, Alexander Ilin said there is “no news” on this “as it is a long process, which usually takes up to one year.” He said the embassy is “fully functioned” and led by charge d’affaires Sergey Petrovich.
Commenting on the community’s reaction, Sergey Tarutin, publisher of Nasha Gazeta – a Russian language newspaper in Ireland – said Russians were “sad and disappointed” by the ambassador’s passing.
He said the ambassador had performed well during a particularly tricky period in Irish-Russian relations in February – when the Irish Government expelled a Russian diplomat over spying allegations, following a Garda investigation which found that Russian intelligence services had stolen the identities of six Irish people.
“He tried to keep relations as close as possible,” said Tarutin, noting that the ambassador resisted moves that would “destroy” the diplomatic relationship, such as reciprocal expulsion of an Irish diplomat.
Moving forward, Tarutin expressed concern that financial support for Russian community projects could be inaccessible without a lead diplomat in Ireland, and said the absence of an ambassador could also delay negotiation on a possible bilateral agreement on adoptions between Russia and Ireland.
