Black Hole on the Black Sea

Stray nuclear weapons remain a grave concern for global security, and national leaders cannot afford to overlook any remote corner of the planet. South Ossetia, in northern Georgia, is a “jurisdictional black hole” with minimal border checkpoints, writes Sharon Weinberger for Foreign Policy. Separatist conflicts flare in the region, along with smuggling, corruption and plenty of fraudulent deals. By taking control of its own borders with South Ossetia, Russia has reduced black markets. Georgian officials claim that the threat of smugglers moving uranium though the area remains; Russia labels this as propaganda. Three flags – from Russia, South Ossetia and Georgia – fly over some border checkpoints, Weinberger reports. Global security could depend on three sets of authorities ending diplomatic bickering and taking responsibility for monitoring dangerous materials moving through the disputed territory. – YaleGlobal