Despite a deep budget deficit crisis, Greece is being encouraged by Paris and Berlin, from whom it buys many of its weapons, to continue spending billions of dollars on defence.

It spends just over three per cent of its gross domestic product on military hardware - more than any other nation in the EU - included those involved in international conflicts, such as Britain, France and Germany.

Athens' military budget even eclipses Pakistan - a nation at war on several fronts.

In the past it has justified spending by pointing to what it calls the threat from Turkey.
 
On the eve of an historic visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, Barnaby Phillips went to find out how long the country can continue spending so much.