The DUP's current stand-off with the British government has been labelled "absolutely ridiculous" after the secretary of state said Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's party has so far failed to spell out what safeguards it wants.
Chris Heaton-Harris said he was "waiting to hear" from the DUP regarding the demands that could pave the way for a return to power-sharing.
In the aftermath of February's revised EU-UK post-Brexit deal, the DUP has been seeking assurances from the British government around sovereignty and trade.
Sir Jeffrey has consistently warned that there will be no return to Stormont until the British government legislates to address the party's concerns.
Earlier this month, the DUP leader indicated that the bid to secure legal assurances on post-Brexit trade would reach an important stage in the coming weeks.
“I am hopeful that we will see further progress made in the next few weeks in terms of our discussions with the government and what needs to be done,” he said on June 8.
“I think we are reaching an important stage in that process over the next few weeks and it will determine whether the government is able to deliver what is required that will facilitate the restoration of our political institutions."
Sir Jeffrey has been quizzed previously on the nature of his party's demands but it remains unclear what is being sought.
When Chris Heaton-Harris was asked by The Irish News on Wednesday about efforts to resolve the impasse, he said he was unable to say what form the party's demands took.
"I can't tell you what those safeguards are," the secretary of state said.
"I'm waiting to hear from them what their ask would be but in the command paper that we published alongside the Windsor framework, you'll find what ideas the British government had in this space, back in February."
But DUP deputy leader Gavin Robinson said the British government "know full well" what the party's problems are with the Windsor Framework.
"There will be no solid foundation for an executive and assembly until we have arrangements that restore Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market and command the support of unionists as well as nationalists," he said.
"The Windsor Framework represents progress but there remain fundamental problems which will require further change – we do not need sticking plasters."
The East Belfast MP said the British government had previously "made commitments to Northern Ireland" and that it was "time to turn those words into reality".
"It is now clear that the government put a gloss on some elements of the Windsor deal," he said.
Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said 100 days had passed since the Windsor Framework was agreed.
Read more: What does the secretary of state for Northern Ireland do?
"At present we have an impasse and the Northern Ireland Office's approach seems to be to hope that something will turn up, but that is not tenable," he said.
"The current situation is much worse than treading water, huge damage is being done everyday."
The North Down MP said British and Irish governments "need to drive this process".
"In particular they need to put reform of the institutions on the agenda – those parties that want to govern Northern Ireland should be allowed to do so," he said.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the DUP "need to get back to work now".
"I don't even think the DUP knows what it's asking the British government for, which makes the whole situation absolutely ridiculous," he said.
"Public services are crashing, workers are striking and ordinary people are paying the price."
