By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 09:00 AM EST

In its first public comment on the issue, Apple Computer blasted an effort by French lawmakers aimed at forcing the company to enable its iPods and iTunes Music Store to work with digital music products from other companies and vise versa.

In a statement republished by the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) early Wednesday morning, Apple said the French move will result in "state-sponsored piracy" by encouraging French users to seek out illegally copied music.

"If this happens, legal music sales will plummet just when legitimate alternatives to piracy are winning over customers," Apple said in the statement. "iPod sales will likely increase as users freely load their iPods with 'interoperable' music which cannot be adequately protected. Free movies for iPods should not be far behind in what will rapidly become a state-sponsored culture of piracy."

A spokesman for the Cupertino, Calif.-based company reportedly declined to comment beyond the prepared statement.

On Tuesday, lawmakers in the National Assembly, France's lower house, voted to approve the proposed law by a vote of 296-193. The legislation now has to be debated and voted by the Senate -- a process expected to begin in May.

Analysts who provide coverage of Apple speculated on Tuesday that the company might simply abandon the French market with its music products rather than comply with a law that could prompt similar efforts by other governments.