Ottawa has stalled progress in talks to settle land claims because it won't agree to mediation, the Six Nations Confederacy says.

Confederacy representatives made the comments in Caledonia Thursday, at the end of the latest round of land claim talks, according to the Hamilton Spectator.

Those negotiations began in May 2006 to try to resolve a dispute over the occupation by natives of a Caledonia housing project.

That led to other claims, which resulted in Ottawa making two offers, one for $125 million and another for $26 million.

However, no agreements were reached. In the meantime, aboriginal groups have stopped development projects in Brantford and Hagersville because they say they're being built on unsurrendered Six Nations land.

While Ontario supports the idea of a mediator, Canada has consistently blocked it, Confederacy spokesman Aaron Detlor told the Spectator.

"We have suggested Canadian judges to mediate/ facilitate so that Canadians everywhere can look to this process and see fairness and an option for some resolution," Detlor said. "Time and time again we come up with solutions to the problem and we simply get forced back by the federal Crown who says, 'We are going to do it our way or the highway.' It's simply not fair."

Federal officials could not be reached for comment. Talks are set to resume next month.

With files from The Canadian Press