From left: Eric Schmidt, Google chief executive, Elliot Schrage, who recently departed for Facebook, and co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. (File Photo: Kimberly White/Reuters)

Will you do a search advertising deal with Yahoo? How will you do it in a way that avoids antitrust objections? Are you relieved that Microsoft withdrew its offer for Yahoo?

The questions were asked again and again by a group of reporters meeting with Googles top three executives Thursday. Eric Schmidt, the chief executive, and Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the companys co-founders, answered roughly: Wed like to; we cant tell you; and yes.

Beyond that, the three men shed little light on their role in the Microsoft-Yahoo merger talks, which ended Saturday when Microsoft withdrew its $47.5 billion offer to buy Yahoo, or on the status of their own negotiations with Yahoo.

Were very excited to work with them, Mr. Brin said of Yahoo.

If conversations were to lead to a deal, Mr. Schmidt said, We would anticipate structuring a deal to address antitrust concerns.

We had a brilliant test, he added, referring to a limited two-week trial that the two companies conducted and that ended about 10 days ago.

The questions kept coming in different forms; the answers stuck to the same line.

Mr. Schmidt, who had raised concerns that a Microsoft-Yahoo c****ination could reduce competition on the Internet, said he was relieved that Google would not have to face that prospect, at least for now.

Obviously we are happy that that is not going to happen, Mr. Schmidt said.

Mr. Brin also said Googles offer of a search advertising partnership with Yahoo was not an effort to scuttle the Microsoft-Yahoo deal, but rather an attempt to give some options to Yahoo, which faced a hostile bid from Microsoft.

We really believe in companies having choices about their destiny, he said.

So is the Microsoft-Yahoo saga over?

You never say never in this business, Mr. Schmidt said, adding that he was not privy to any information suggesting that merger negotiations might resume.

The meeting, at Googles Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, adjourned as Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Page and Mr. Brin headed to another building for Googles annual meeting with shareholders.