Google's controversial search deal with Yahoo will go forward, Google's CEO Eric Schmidt told reporters at the company's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.

"Time is money in our business," Schmidt said. "While we have been talking to regulators, we don't know what their position is. We don't know if they think it's a good deal or poor deal."

Google had voluntarily delayed the deal to give regulators time to assess complaints that such an agreement would have anticompetitive effects on the search market. 

Meanwhile, government regulators led by newly hired litigator Sanford Litvack will continue to investigate.

As for the deal, Schmidt didn't give an exact date for execution, but he did say that he wouldn't be willing to wait much beyond the Oct. 11 deadline specified in Google's contract with Yahoo.