Proper query to create table

Hi, ALL,
I'm trying to execute following query:

        query1 = L"IF NOT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sysobjects WHERE name =
'abcatcol' AND type = 'U') CREATE TABLE abcatcol( <field_list>))";

Unfortunately it fails.
If the table does not exist I'm getting 100 (SQL_NO_DATA) from the ODBC
driver.
And if the table does exist, I'm getting -1 with the error:

"The table already exists".

Is there a way to do this in 1 shot?  Or I will have to do a conditional
for Sybase to make it in 2 queries?

Please advise.

Thank you.