Turkey's prime minister says a deal with the European Union stipulating that refugees who arrive on Greek islands from the Turkish coast will be sent back will go into effect as scheduled on Monday.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the method will not increase the number of refugees now in Turkey, because others will be sent to the EU. He also said "there will be no reason for the loss of life of people who hope and desire to cross the Aegean Sea to Europe".

The deal stipulates that for every Syrian returned, another Syrian in Turkey will be relocated to a European country. It aims to interrupt the smuggling of refugees from Turkey to Greece in what has become a lucrative business for criminal gangs and an often deadly journey for the migrants.

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