Published Monday, 02 August 2010
The DUP Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said the overwhelming mood within the unionist community was for closer co-operation.
"Peter rightly said that the long term goal must be the creation of a single Unionist party", Ms Foster said.
"People are fed up hearing reasons why unity cannot happen: they want to see us making it a reality."
Her comments follow the publication of an article in which former DUP leader Ian Paisley Sr spoke out against the creation of a single unionist party.
Writing in the News Letter last week, the former First Minister warned that such a move would only benefit those want to have senior positions at Stormont.
"Limiting that choice is not in the interests of the province but merely in the interests of those who want power," Lord Bannside told the News Letter.
"Within Northern Ireland, unionist unity in the sense of one grand political party is, in my opinion, a non-runner."
In April, Ms Foster withdrew from the Westminster race in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in favour of unity candidate Rodney Connor.
"I did this because I wanted to see more Unionists returned to Westminster. The fact that we slashed Sinn Fein's majority in Fermanagh and South Tyrone to a mere four votes shows that unity and co-operation at election time can, if built upon and broadened, deliver greater Unionist representation in all elected institutions - Councils, Assembly and Westminster, " the Enterprise minister said.
Ms Foster resigned from the UUP shortly after the 2003 Assembly election to join the DUP.
"People will know that I started my political career as a member of the Ulster Unionist Party", she said.
"We have at our core more that unites us than divides us."
"Whilst a single party is beyond reach at the moment there are many smaller steps that can be taken."