The Highest Weight Property for the $SU_{q}(n)$ Invariant Spin Chains
  The $SU_{q}(n)$ generators are obtained as large spectral parameter limit of the Yang-Baxter operators in the integrable $SU_{q}(n)$ invariant vertex model. The commutation relations, including Serre relations, are obtained as limits of the Yang-Baxter equations. The recently found eigenvectors of the $SU_{q}(n)$ invariant spin chains are shown to be Highest Weight vectors of the corresponding quantum group. 
H.J. de Vega and A. Gonz\'alez--Ruiz