More than ten thousand refugees, mainly from the Serbian province of Kosovo, have entered Germany and Switzerland during the last month.

Figures released by the Swiss authorities show that almost six-thousand Yugoslav and Kosovarrefugees sought asylum there during October.

This means the total refugee influx into Switzerland during the first ten months of this year is two-thirds more than in the same period in 1997.

The German Interior Ministry said the majority of its more-than-five-thousand refugees from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia came from Kosovo.

It said the figures underlined the importance of creating a safe haven for the Kosovars in their own province.