ST. PETERSBURG, June 3 (Sputnik) — Timmins noted that Russia’s permanent membership in the UN Security Council and engagement in numerous multilateral institutions gives it a good leverage also in humanitarian field.
"We are conscious that Russia is a global power, but at the moment our relationship with Russia is quite weak, so it’s a relationship that we want to open. When you are engaging in humanitarian issues globally, you need people who hold power and have influence. So our institution is increasing its connections with Russian authorities, Russian companies," Timmins said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum (SPIEF).
Oxfam humanitarian director also commended Russia’s engagement in the Syrian settlement, but noted the path to a full safety in the country is still long.
"We are pleased that there has been work going on around trying to negotiate these de-escalation zones, we still have a number of questions around them, there is more to be done. Obviously anything that helps reduce the conflict is good, but there is a long way to go saying there is full safety for civilians. I think there is more that Russia can do in terms of helping different humanitarian access to get access to communities, provide services and support to them," Timmins said.
The 21st annual SPIEF is a major global platform for government officials, business representatives, members of various organizations, where crucial political, economic and humanitarian issues are discussed. SPIEF is held between Thursday and Saturday. Sputnik is an official media partner of the forum.
