diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 6847e580cc6..3408e1acc63 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ ac_includes_default="\
 # include <unistd.h>
 #endif"
 
-ac_subst_vars='SHELL PATH_SEPARATOR PACKAGE_NAME PACKAGE_TARNAME PACKAGE_VERSION PACKAGE_STRING PACKAGE_BUGREPORT exec_prefix prefix program_transform_name bindir sbindir libexecdir datadir sysconfdir sharedstatedir localstatedir libdir includedir oldincludedir infodir mandir build_alias host_alias target_alias DEFS ECHO_C ECHO_N ECHO_T LIBS WIN16_FILES WIN16_INSTALL LIBPTHREAD build build_cpu build_vendor build_os host host_cpu host_vendor host_os SET_MAKE CC CFLAGS LDFLAGS CPPFLAGS ac_ct_CC EXEEXT OBJEXT CPP TOOLSDIR X_CFLAGS X_PRE_LIBS X_LIBS X_EXTRA_LIBS YACC LEX LEXLIB LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT XYACC XLEX AS ac_ct_AS LD ac_ct_LD AR ac_ct_AR RANLIB ac_ct_RANLIB STRIP ac_ct_STRIP WINDRES ac_ct_WINDRES LN_S LN C2MAN LDCONFIG INSTALL_PROGRAM INSTALL_SCRIPT INSTALL_DATA LINT LINTFLAGS DB2HTML DB2PDF DB2PS JPEGLIB EGREP GIFLIB XLIB XFILES OPENGLFILES GLU32FILES OPENGL_LIBS NASLIBS CURSESLIBS sane_devel SANELIBS SANEINCL ft_devel ft_devel2 FREETYPEINCL ARTSCCONFIG ARTSLIBS ARTSINCL ALSALIBS AUDIOIOLIBS EXTRACFLAGS DLLEXT DLLFLAGS DLLIBS LDDLLFLAGS LDSHARED LIBEXT IMPLIBEXT DLLTOOL ac_ct_DLLTOOL DLLWRAP ac_ct_DLLWRAP LDEXECFLAGS CROSSTEST CROSSCC CROSSWINDRES LDPATH CRTLIBS LDD ALLOCA LIBOBJS LTLIBOBJS'
+ac_subst_vars='SHELL PATH_SEPARATOR PACKAGE_NAME PACKAGE_TARNAME PACKAGE_VERSION PACKAGE_STRING PACKAGE_BUGREPORT exec_prefix prefix program_transform_name bindir sbindir libexecdir datadir sysconfdir sharedstatedir localstatedir libdir includedir oldincludedir infodir mandir build_alias host_alias target_alias DEFS ECHO_C ECHO_N ECHO_T LIBS WIN16_FILES WIN16_INSTALL LIBPTHREAD build build_cpu build_vendor build_os host host_cpu host_vendor host_os SET_MAKE CC CFLAGS LDFLAGS CPPFLAGS ac_ct_CC EXEEXT OBJEXT CPP TOOLSDIR X_CFLAGS X_PRE_LIBS X_LIBS X_EXTRA_LIBS YACC LEX LEXLIB LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT XYACC XLEX AS ac_ct_AS LD ac_ct_LD AR ac_ct_AR RANLIB ac_ct_RANLIB STRIP ac_ct_STRIP WINDRES ac_ct_WINDRES LN_S LN C2MAN LDCONFIG INSTALL_PROGRAM INSTALL_SCRIPT INSTALL_DATA LINT LINTFLAGS DB2HTML DB2PDF DB2PS JPEGLIB EGREP GIFLIB XLIB XFILES OPENGLFILES GLU32FILES OPENGL_LIBS NASLIBS CURSESLIBS sane_devel SANELIBS SANEINCL ICULIBS ft_devel ft_devel2 FREETYPEINCL ARTSCCONFIG ARTSLIBS ARTSINCL ALSALIBS AUDIOIOLIBS EXTRACFLAGS DLLEXT DLLFLAGS DLLIBS LDDLLFLAGS LDSHARED LIBEXT IMPLIBEXT DLLTOOL ac_ct_DLLTOOL DLLWRAP ac_ct_DLLWRAP LDEXECFLAGS CROSSTEST CROSSCC CROSSWINDRES LDPATH CRTLIBS LDD ALLOCA LIBOBJS LTLIBOBJS'
 ac_subst_files='MAKE_RULES MAKE_DLL_RULES MAKE_TEST_RULES MAKE_LIB_RULES MAKE_PROG_RULES'
 
 # Initialize some variables set by options.
@@ -9263,6 +9263,212 @@ fi
 
 
 
+
+for ac_header in unicode/ubidi.h
+do
+as_ac_Header=`echo "ac_cv_header_$ac_header" | $as_tr_sh`
+if eval "test \"\${$as_ac_Header+set}\" = set"; then
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_header" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_header... $ECHO_C" >&6
+if eval "test \"\${$as_ac_Header+set}\" = set"; then
+  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
+fi
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: `eval echo '${'$as_ac_Header'}'`" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}`eval echo '${'$as_ac_Header'}'`" >&6
+else
+  # Is the header compilable?
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking $ac_header usability" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking $ac_header usability... $ECHO_C" >&6
+cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+#line $LINENO "configure"
+/* confdefs.h.  */
+_ACEOF
+cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
+cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+$ac_includes_default
+#include <$ac_header>
+_ACEOF
+rm -f conftest.$ac_objext
+if { (eval echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \"$ac_compile\"") >&5
+  (eval $ac_compile) 2>&5
+  ac_status=$?
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); } &&
+         { ac_try='test -s conftest.$ac_objext'
+  { (eval echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \"$ac_try\"") >&5
+  (eval $ac_try) 2>&5
+  ac_status=$?
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); }; }; then
+  ac_header_compiler=yes
+else
+  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+ac_header_compiler=no
+fi
+rm -f conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_header_compiler" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_header_compiler" >&6
+
+# Is the header present?
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking $ac_header presence" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking $ac_header presence... $ECHO_C" >&6
+cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+#line $LINENO "configure"
+/* confdefs.h.  */
+_ACEOF
+cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
+cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <$ac_header>
+_ACEOF
+if { (eval echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \"$ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext\"") >&5
+  (eval $ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext) 2>conftest.er1
+  ac_status=$?
+  grep -v '^ *+' conftest.er1 >conftest.err
+  rm -f conftest.er1
+  cat conftest.err >&5
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); } >/dev/null; then
+  if test -s conftest.err; then
+    ac_cpp_err=$ac_c_preproc_warn_flag
+  else
+    ac_cpp_err=
+  fi
+else
+  ac_cpp_err=yes
+fi
+if test -z "$ac_cpp_err"; then
+  ac_header_preproc=yes
+else
+  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+  ac_header_preproc=no
+fi
+rm -f conftest.err conftest.$ac_ext
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_header_preproc" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_header_preproc" >&6
+
+# So?  What about this header?
+case $ac_header_compiler:$ac_header_preproc in
+  yes:no )
+    { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: WARNING: $ac_header: accepted by the compiler, rejected by the preprocessor!" >&5
+echo "$as_me: WARNING: $ac_header: accepted by the compiler, rejected by the preprocessor!" >&2;}
+    { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: WARNING: $ac_header: proceeding with the preprocessor's result" >&5
+echo "$as_me: WARNING: $ac_header: proceeding with the preprocessor's result" >&2;}
+    (
+      cat <<\_ASBOX
+## ------------------------------------ ##
+## Report this to bug-autoconf@gnu.org. ##
+## ------------------------------------ ##
+_ASBOX
+    ) |
+      sed "s/^/$as_me: WARNING:     /" >&2
+    ;;
+  no:yes )
+    { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: WARNING: $ac_header: present but cannot be compiled" >&5
+echo "$as_me: WARNING: $ac_header: present but cannot be compiled" >&2;}
+    { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: WARNING: $ac_header: check for missing prerequisite headers?" >&5
+echo "$as_me: WARNING: $ac_header: check for missing prerequisite headers?" >&2;}
+    { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: WARNING: $ac_header: proceeding with the preprocessor's result" >&5
+echo "$as_me: WARNING: $ac_header: proceeding with the preprocessor's result" >&2;}
+    (
+      cat <<\_ASBOX
+## ------------------------------------ ##
+## Report this to bug-autoconf@gnu.org. ##
+## ------------------------------------ ##
+_ASBOX
+    ) |
+      sed "s/^/$as_me: WARNING:     /" >&2
+    ;;
+esac
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_header" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_header... $ECHO_C" >&6
+if eval "test \"\${$as_ac_Header+set}\" = set"; then
+  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
+else
+  eval "$as_ac_Header=$ac_header_preproc"
+fi
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: `eval echo '${'$as_ac_Header'}'`" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}`eval echo '${'$as_ac_Header'}'`" >&6
+
+fi
+if test `eval echo '${'$as_ac_Header'}'` = yes; then
+  cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
+#define `echo "HAVE_$ac_header" | $as_tr_cpp` 1
+_ACEOF
+
+fi
+
+done
+
+if test "$ac_cv_header_unicode_ubidi_h" = "yes"
+then
+    echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking whether we can statically link the ICU libraries" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking whether we can statically link the ICU libraries... $ECHO_C" >&6
+if test "${ac_cv_lib_icu+set}" = set; then
+  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
+else
+  saved_libs="$LIBS"
+         ICU_LIB_DIR="${ICU_LIB_DIR-/usr/lib}"
+         ICUUC_LIB="${ICUUC_LIB-$ICU_LIB_DIR/libicuuc.a}"
+         ICUDATA_LIB="${ICUDATA_LIB-$ICU_LIB_DIR/libicudata.a}"
+         LIBS="$LIBS $ICUUC_LIB $ICUDATA_LIB -lstdc++ -lgcc_s"
+         cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+#line $LINENO "configure"
+/* confdefs.h.  */
+_ACEOF
+cat confdefs.h >>conftest.$ac_ext
+cat >>conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <unicode/ubidi.h>
+int
+main ()
+{
+ubidi_open()
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+rm -f conftest.$ac_objext conftest$ac_exeext
+if { (eval echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \"$ac_link\"") >&5
+  (eval $ac_link) 2>&5
+  ac_status=$?
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); } &&
+         { ac_try='test -s conftest$ac_exeext'
+  { (eval echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \"$ac_try\"") >&5
+  (eval $ac_try) 2>&5
+  ac_status=$?
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  (exit $ac_status); }; }; then
+  ac_cv_lib_icu="yes"
+else
+  echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+ac_cv_lib_icu="no"
+fi
+rm -f conftest.$ac_objext conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+        LIBS="$saved_libs"
+fi
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_cv_lib_icu" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_cv_lib_icu" >&6
+    if test "$ac_cv_lib_icu" = "yes"
+    then
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define HAVE_ICU 1
+_ACEOF
+
+        ICULIBS="$ICUUC_LIB $ICUDATA_LIB -lstdc++ -lgcc_s"
+
+    fi
+fi
+
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for FT_Init_FreeType in -lfreetype" >&5
 echo $ECHO_N "checking for FT_Init_FreeType in -lfreetype... $ECHO_C" >&6
 if test "${ac_cv_lib_freetype_FT_Init_FreeType+set}" = set; then
@@ -16941,6 +17147,7 @@ s,@CURSESLIBS@,$CURSESLIBS,;t t
 s,@sane_devel@,$sane_devel,;t t
 s,@SANELIBS@,$SANELIBS,;t t
 s,@SANEINCL@,$SANEINCL,;t t
+s,@ICULIBS@,$ICULIBS,;t t
 s,@ft_devel@,$ft_devel,;t t
 s,@ft_devel2@,$ft_devel2,;t t
 s,@FREETYPEINCL@,$FREETYPEINCL,;t t
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9342ccaeae4..2b832dda1d3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -409,6 +409,26 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST(SANELIBS)
 AC_SUBST(SANEINCL)
 
+dnl **** Check for the ICU library ****
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS(unicode/ubidi.h)
+if test "$ac_cv_header_unicode_ubidi_h" = "yes"
+then
+    AC_CACHE_CHECK([whether we can statically link the ICU libraries], ac_cv_lib_icu,
+        [saved_libs="$LIBS"
+         ICU_LIB_DIR="${ICU_LIB_DIR-/usr/lib}"
+         ICUUC_LIB="${ICUUC_LIB-$ICU_LIB_DIR/libicuuc.a}"
+         ICUDATA_LIB="${ICUDATA_LIB-$ICU_LIB_DIR/libicudata.a}"
+         LIBS="$LIBS $ICUUC_LIB $ICUDATA_LIB -lstdc++ -lgcc_s"
+         AC_TRY_LINK([#include <unicode/ubidi.h>],[ubidi_open()],
+                     [ac_cv_lib_icu="yes"],[ac_cv_lib_icu="no"])
+        LIBS="$saved_libs"])
+    if test "$ac_cv_lib_icu" = "yes"
+    then
+        AC_DEFINE(HAVE_ICU,1,[Define to 1 if the ICU libraries are installed])
+        AC_SUBST(ICULIBS,"$ICUUC_LIB $ICUDATA_LIB -lstdc++ -lgcc_s")
+    fi
+fi
+
 dnl **** Check for FreeType 2 ****
 AC_CHECK_LIB(freetype,FT_Init_FreeType,ft_lib=yes,ft_lib=no,$X_LIBS)
 if test "$ft_lib" = "no"
diff --git a/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in b/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in
index af0c00b438b..9da6e238e45 100644
--- a/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in
+++ b/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ MODULE    = gdi32.dll
 IMPORTS   = advapi32 kernel32
 ALTNAMES  = gdi.exe dispdib.dll wing.dll
 EXTRAINCL = @FREETYPEINCL@
-EXTRALIBS = $(LIBUNICODE)
+EXTRALIBS = $(LIBUNICODE) @ICULIBS@
 
 LDDLLFLAGS = @LDDLLFLAGS@
 SYMBOLFILE = $(MODULE).tmp.o
diff --git a/include/config.h.in b/include/config.h.in
index daa3a95d13a..f9d813532d2 100644
--- a/include/config.h.in
+++ b/include/config.h.in
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <GL/gl.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_GL_GL_H
 
+/* Define to 1 if the ICU libraries are installed */
+#undef HAVE_ICU
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <ieeefp.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_IEEEFP_H
 
@@ -641,6 +644,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <ucontext.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_UCONTEXT_H
 
+/* Define to 1 if you have the <unicode/ubidi.h> header file. */
+#undef HAVE_UNICODE_UBIDI_H
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <unistd.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_UNISTD_H