Major Announces N. Ireland Investment, Sees Bright Future : Ulster: The British leader says the cease-fire has brought optimism. Sinn Fein delegates walk out of business conference.

Prime Minister John Major declared Wednesday that Northern Ireland has reached an optimistic “turning point” in its future as he announced about $100 million in new business investment that will create 300 jobs for the troubled province.

During an overnight visit to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, Major said there are few days when one can say with confidence, “I can see the future.” He said Wednesday was one of those days.

Major told a meeting launching one of the new projects, British Telecom’s $46-million offices in Belfast, that there is a general atmosphere of optimism in the province now that the paramilitary groups there have observed a cease-fire for several months.

The gathering was part of a two-day international business conference.

“If we can keep the political talks successfully on track and economic development rolling as it is now continuing to roll,” Major said, “then the prospects for Northern Ireland are very bright indeed, not just in the short term but in the long term.

“The peace process that is now unfolding is not yet certain, but it is developing in a way few people would have envisaged just a few months ago.”

Major said news reports on the province have too long been dominated by “the troubles”--the violence that racked Northern Ireland for 25 years--when in fact it has become an attractive place for business investment.

About 250 delegates attended the Belfast conference, which was marred only by the walkout of six delegates from Sinn Fein, the political arm of the Irish Republican Army, and representatives from Belfast and Londonderry over the British Northern Ireland Office’s refusal to increase the size of their delegation.

Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown, leading an American delegation, said that U.S. firms “will take full advantage of the dramatically improved climate” in Northern Ireland.