The argument appears to be that according to the FIA the race did technically finish under safety car rules, and the car pulling off is purely so it doesn't ruin photos of the finish, and therefore no overtaking.
Mercedes and Ross Brawn are arguing (pretty convincingly really) that the team were notified that it was coming in at the end of the lap, not that the race would be finishing under safety car rules, therefore overtaking was allowed as per normal safety car procedure (after the safety car line).
My opinion is that Mercedes were in the wrong, but the FIA notified the wrong thing, it should not be notified that the safety car comes in, at least not in the normal way. Still the usual Ferrari international assistance thing shouldn't really be brought into play here, as aparently all the other teams except Merc were on the radio to charlie whiting complaining about it as soon as it happened.
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