The method of QCD sum rules in the presence of the external electromag
netic field is used to treat the problem of the electromagnetic decay
of the various vector mesons, including rho --> pi + gamma, K + gamma,
and eta' --> and rho + gamma. The induced condensates obtained previo
usly from the study of baryon magnetic moments are adopted, thereby en
suring the parameter-free nature of the present predictions. Further c
onsistency is reinforced by invoking the various QCD sum rules for the
meson masses. The numerical results on the various radiative decays a
gree very well with the experimental data. (C) 1998 Published by Elsev
ier Science B.V.