Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been accused of behaving like a 'new sultan' in the past, after a drift towards authoritarianism and grandiose construction projects costing hundreds of millions of dollars.

What better way to dispel these assumptions than with a humble display while hosting the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.

Um...

The 16 soldiers in ceremonial dress here at the presidential palace in Ankara apparently represent the 16 Turkish states founded in the past.

So there.