OREANDA-NEWS. October 13, 2010.   Dmitry Medvedev met informally with Russian rock musicians and answered their numerous questions.

The President suggested that the discussion is not limited to a particular agenda. The conversation touched upon a variety of topics, including those beyond the sphere of music.

One of the questions concerned the Khimki Forest in Moscow, through which a motorway to St Petersburg is being built. The President stressed that final decisions on such hotly debated issues should be made only following a broad discussion and the kind of meeting with experts as Dmitry Medvedev is planning to hold.

Another issue related to the construction of the Okhta business centre in St Petersburg with a 400-metre tower, which causes great concern to local residents. The President stressed that he, as a person who spent a significant part of his life in St Petersburg, is not indifferent to the architectural image of the city, which is practically an open-air museum. Dmitry Medvedev said that the problem should be addressed after the completion of the related litigation and consultations with UNESCO as an international agency authorised to resolve such issues.

The meeting participants also discussed the change of the Moscow mayor, the new law on the protection of animals and the music festival in Kazan.

The question was raised about the fight against drug addiction. The President called for an intensification of the struggle involving the public and the media. The musicians told him about a criminal case brought against the head of City Without Drugs foundation in Nizhny Tagil and the investigation.

Dmitry Medvedev stressed the need to look into this matter carefully, without interfering in the course of the investigation.

Copyright, an issue of direct concern to the musicians present, was also discussed. The President considers it necessary to develop a new global convention on copyright as current legislation is no longer able to regulate emerging technologies.

The President stressed that the problem is global.

Dmitry Medvedev told the musicians that he had loved music since childhood and that he enjoys listening to music when he is working, unlike many people who believe that work and music are not compatible.

Participants in the meeting included Sergei Galanin from the group SerGa, Boris Grebenshchikov, lead singer of Aquarium, Alexei Kortnev from Neschastny Sluchai, Andrei Makarevich from Mashina Vremeni, Alexander Uman from Bi-2, Vladimir Shakhrin from Chaif, Vadim Samoilov, a co-founder of the rock band Agatha Christie, and Ilya Knabenghof, leader of Pilot.

The meeting was held on Monday at Rhythm and Blues Cafe. After the meeting, the musicians took photos with the President and gave him an electric guitar with their autographs.