CRAWFORD, August 19, 2008 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush plans to reach out to senior Pakistan officials soon in the wake of Pervez Musharraf's resignation as president, the White House said Tuesday.

'I, you know, would expect that the president will have high-level contact with the Pakistani authorities, you know, in the near future,' White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said while Bush was on his Texas ranch.

Johndroe declined to comment directly on reports that Musharraf might seek asylum in the United States, saying he was unaware of any contacts on that score between the former Pakistani leader and US officials.

'As far as President Musharraf's location, where he will eventually live, that's a matter for him and the Pakistanis to deal with,' said Johndroe.

Musharraf's decision to quit came after Pakistan's governing coalition said it was ready to press ahead with impeachment as early as Tuesday on charges that reportedly included violating the constitution.

He seized power when he was military chief in a coup in 1999 and become a key US ally after abandoning Pakistan's support for the Taliban following the September 11, 2001 attacks.