NORTHERN Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has said he believes talks with the DUP on a return to Stormont are reaching a "crucial" stage.
Mr Heaton-Harris spoke with the BBC on Tuesday, and refused to speculate on a date he believes an Executive could be formed, but said he remained "optimistic" on progress.
"I genuinely understand that people want to see the Executive formed and MLAs working," he said.
Mr Heaton-Harris added: "I believe we are coming to a crucial point in the process where decisions have to be made."
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker has claimed the DUP is being pressurised by a small number of hardliners to stay out of Stormont.
On Tuesday he said negotiations with the DUP around resolving concerns over the Windsor Framework were close to reaching a conclusion.
"I think realistically where we are with the DUP is in the final stages of them letting us know what they need," Mr Baker said.
"But what I think I see is that a small number of really important opinion formers, who shape what the DUP does, are now really steering the life of Northern Ireland to a degree which is not really consistent with their status as unelected figures who express opinion and put pressure on the DUP.
"I would say to them and to everyone else, we now need to think really seriously about which futures are available and anyone as an opinion former who is now putting pressure on the DUP to stay out of government, they really need to ask themselves what they are trying to achieve."
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Mr Baker said the EU would not re-enter negotiations, describing the revised protocol deal as "the best we could do ... our compromise".
Earlier, DUP MP Gregory Campbell claimed Downing Street had been "repeatedly briefing" media that "substantial progress" had been made on talks with the party.
Mr Campbell also said his party provided the British government with a paper, which he said they have been looking at for several months.
"The time has come for briefing designed to pressurise us to stop and delivery on what they have repeatedly promised to happen," the East Derry MP said.
Mr Baker refuted the claims that he was briefing "against the DUP".
"I want the DUP to be happy and successful in government, but I'm afraid all the time they're out of government we're bound to be talking about it," he said.
"I'm very fond of Gregory, but they've talked about megaphone diplomacy and all the rest of it, I'm answering your questions, I'm happy to answer your questions but it's in the DUP's hands if they want Northern Ireland to flourish."