Orthogonal basis for the Shapovalov form on U-q (sl(n+1))

Let U be either the classical or quantized universal enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra sl(n + 1) extended over the field of fractions of the Cartan subalgebra. We suggest a PBW basis in U over the extended Cartan subalgebra diagonalizing the contravariant Shapovalov form on generic Verma module. The matrix coefficients of the form are calculated and the inverse form is explicitly constructed.