BEIRUT - Turkey's foreign minister is renewing calls for a ceasefire in Syria's northern city of Aleppo.

Speaking in Beirut at a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Friday, Mevlut Cavusoglu said a cessation of hostilities should be announced "as soon as possible, immediately."

He also repeated his country's stance that President Bashar Assad should no longer lead the country.

"We believe that Assad cannot actually enhance the national unity in the country," Cavusoglu said.

"We have to be realistic," he added. "The person who kills almost 600,000 shouldn't rule any country."

The Turkish official's comments in Beirut came a day after he held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Ankara, in which they gave no indication they were close to a cease-fire.

Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the Syria conflict.