The leaked letter is the first time Medvedev's opinion has become known on the plans to build the 403-metre (1,322-foot) glass skyscraper, to be called the Okhta Centre, in his hometown.

Medvedev "drew particular attention to the decision by UNESCO calling for all work to be halted on the Okhta tower and to look at alternative variants of its height," the RIA Novosti state news agency quoted the letter as saying.

The letter was signed by Medvedev's top foreign policy adviser, Sergei Prikhodko, and sent to officials, including Saint Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko, Kommersant newspaper reported.

Its contents were revealed at a meeting on Thursday by the head of cultural preservation agency Rosokhrankultura, Alexander Kibovsky, the news reports said.

The letter talked about the importance of "constructive dialogue with UNESCO, and the impermissibility of causing damage to Russia's reputation," RIA Novosti said.

A Kremlin spokesman said he could not immediately comment on the reports.

The historic centre of Saint Petersburg is a UNESCO world heritage site and the agency has threatened to withdraw the status if the skyscraper is built.

The skyscraper, nicknamed the "Gazoskryob" (Gazscraper), is to be built on the bank of the Okhta river.

Despite protests by residents and preservationists, Matviyenko has backed plans to build the skyscraper and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, also a Saint Petersburg native, has expressed his support for the project.

In 2007, while president, he said that "such buildings would not hurt the city, that is for sure."

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