China on a nostalgic note for days of Soviet amity

Peking radio broadcast an interview praising Chinese-Soviet friendship in an unusually warm reference to links between the two countries embittered by more than 20 years of hostility.

The radio quoted Karim, a member of the Uighur minority from Chinese Central Asia, talking nostalgically on its Russian-language service of a visit to the Soviet Union in 1965. Peking and Moscow have been bitter enemies since 1960, but in recent weeks there have been signs of a slight thaw. Diplomats agree, however , there is no possibility of any early revival of the close relationship of the 1950s.

Karim said in the interview, ''We strongly believe that the Soviet people love us, and that it is impossible to undermine the friendship between the peoples of China and the USSR.''