France, Aug. 16 -- Turkey acknowledges there were mass deaths but rejects the term "genocide", and has lobbied for a century against its recognition as such.

Around 35 countries, France among them, have formally recognised the Armenian Genocide. Israel appeared poised to join them this year, until fierce protests from Azerbaijan - Turkey's closest ally and a major supplier of Israeli oil - led the Israeli parliament to postpone the vote indefinitely.

Stephan Pechdimaldji, an Armenian-American activist, is the descendant of survivors of the genocide.

RFI: Stephan, your grandfather survived the Armenian Genocide, can you tell us his story?

Stephan Pechdimaldji: My grandfather was born in 1900 in Yozgat, in modern-day Turkey, so he was 1...