>>CON=SQLSTRINGCONNECT("DRIVE=MYSQL ODBC 3.51 DRIVER;SERVER=localhost;UID=a;PWD=a;DATABASE=a")>>

I noticed your SQLSTRINGCONNECT("DRIVE= MYSQL ODBC 3.51....", have you tried to change to

CON=SQLSTRINGCONNECT("DRIVER=MYSQL ODBC 3.51 DRIVER;SERVER=localhost;UID=a;PWD=a;DATABASE=a")