U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has urged North Korea to abandon its current path and choose a meaningful dialogue about a different future.
 
Speaking at a meeting of foreign ministers of some 30 African countries held in Washington Friday, Tillerson said that this would be the only way for North Korea to achieve true security and respect from the international community.
 
He urged the regime to stop its nuclear and missile programs.
 
He said North Korea presents a threat to all nations and stressed that African countries must play a part in this "peaceful pressure campaign" on the North.
 
He urged African nations to take additional measures to pressure Pyongyang by downgrading their diplomatic relationships, severing economic ties, expelling all North Korean laborers, and reducing the North's presence in their countries in all other ways.
 
Tillerson added that "all nations must act to implement UN sanctions in full and cut off all UN-proscribed ties." 
 
The State Department earlier noted that Sudan was the first African nation to declare suspended trade ties with the North.

The department said that "isolating the North Korean regime is a top priority for the U.S. and is a key element to maintaining peace and stability worldwide" and expressed gratitude for Sudan's commitment.
 
Mexico expelled its North Korean ambassador in September and Peru, Kuwait, Spain and Italy followed suit.
 
Last month, Portugal announced it will suspend all ties with North Korea.

[Photo : ]