RPT-TIMELINE-Egypt, Russia wheat spat

(Repeats from June 16, no change to text)

June 16 (Reuters) - Egypt's prosecutor is probing documents related to a Russian wheat cargo imported by private firm Egyptian Traders Co to determine if they are authentic or forged, the trade minister's legal adviser said.

Cargo inspector SGS (SGSN.VX) said a falsified SGS quality certificate had been used on the probed imported Russian wheat shipment, while the importer said documents relating to the shipment were definitely valid.

Wheat shipments from Russia have been under intense scrutiny in the most populous Arab country since mid-May when the prosecutor ordered an initial probe after the detection of dead bugs and impurities in some wheat imported by Egyptian Traders.

Below is a chronology of events surrounding the row:

June 15 - Egypt's agricultural quarantine authority says it has quality concerns over two Russian wheat shipments tested at the Mediterranean port of Damietta but that the wheat could be treated and released for distribution. [ID:nLF441333]

June 14 - Egypt's Social Solidarity Ministry says it has 4 million tonnes of wheat reserves to last until the end of 2009 and recent seizures of wheat shipments would not affect consumption. [ID:nLE704962]

June 11 - Hesham Ragab, legal adviser to Egypt's trade minister, says prosecutor probing papers linked to Russian wheat shipment imported by Egyptian Traders for possible forgery.

* Egyptian Traders chairman Ashraf El Attal says probe makes no sense as 52,500 tonne shipment held at Red Sea port of Safaga was already ordered re-exported by the prosecutor. [ID:nLB439154]

* Cargo inspector SGS (SGSN.VX) says a falsified SGS quality certificate has been used on the Russian wheat shipment imported by Egyptian Traders Co as it never inspected the cargo. [ID:nLB813040] [ID:nLB533772]

* The chairman of Egyptian Traders Co says documents for the shipment were "definitely" valid and that the case was becoming "too political". [ID:nLB350509]

June 10 - Shipment of 61,000 tonnes of Ukrainian corn held over quality concerns in Damietta, an Egyptian newspaper reports. [ID:nLA1003796]

June 9 - Russian animal and plant health watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor says agreed with Egypt that all exported grain to be accompanied by certificates issued by the state, not surveyor companies. [ID:nL9461541]

* Russian grain firm RIAS demands the return of 56,000 tonne wheat shipment imported by Egyptian Traders held in Safaga so it can sell the wheat, which it says it still owns, to buyers in Indonesia. [ID:nL855064]

June 7 - Egypt's prosecutor orders quarantined 52,500 tonne Russian wheat shipment, held at Safaga since May 13, re-exported and tells importer Egyptian Traders to repay $9.6 million to the main state wheat buyer, GASC.